Draxler nets on debut as PSG hits seven
Paris Saint-Germain hammered Bastia 7-0 at Parc des Princes to extend its winning run in the Coupe de France to 13 games.
Paris Saint-Germain 7-0 Bastia
Julian Draxler netted on his debut to help holder Paris Saint-Germain to a comfortable 7-0 win over Bastia at Parc des Princes that emphatically booked its place in the Coupe de France Round of 32.
The Germany international joined PSG from Wolfsburg this transfer window after failing to secure a move away from the Bundesliga ahead of the 2016-2017 campaign.
Draxler began Sunday's (AEDT) encounter from the bench, but ensured his career at the Ligue 1 giant got off to an encouraging start with a sublime finish in the closing stages after coming on midway through the second half.
Unai Emery's men had by then already sealed progress to the next round after first-half goals from Thiago Silva and Adrien Rabiot, with Christopher Nkunku, Thiago Motta, Lucas Moura and Angel Di Maria on target after the break.
The win eases some of the pressure on Emery after an indifferent start to his PSG tenure, with the champion sitting third in the Ligue 1 table halfway through the season.
PSG dominated proceedings early on, with Blaise Matuidi in particular looking dangerous. The midfielder was unfortunate to see an acrobatic backheel after a corner sail wide before having a right-footed shot from just inside the area saved by Bastia goalkeeper Thomas Vincensini.
The home side remained well in charge and eventually broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark. Silva lost his marker after Lucas' corner from the left and the Brazilian centre-back beat Vincensini with a fine header into the far corner.
Nkunku then thought he had doubled PSG's lead with a fine finish after being set up by Lucas, only to see his effort rightly disallowed for offside.
But the holder did make it 2-0 when Rabiot found the net in the closing stages of the first half. The midfielder opted to try his luck with an opportunistic shot from 30 yards out and Vincensini did not see the danger coming in time to keep it out, Rabiot's strike surprising the goalkeeper at his near post.
Things went from bad to worse for Bastia after the break as Nkunku netted PSG's third goal just two minutes after the restart. The youngster embarked on a clever dribble after picking up the ball just inside the visitors' half and eventually unleashed a powerful low shot that proved to be too much for Vincensini.
Motta then poured even more salt in Bastia's wounds in the 57th minute with a sublime header after Hatem Ben Arfa's cross from the right.
PSG never let up and its hunger for goals resulted in a fifth shortly after Motta's header. The referee had no other option but to point to the spot after Florian Marange brought down Lucas inside the area and the Brazilian stepped up himself to convert.
Emery had by then already brought on Di Maria and the Argentine capped his substitute cameo with a well-taken goal from close range after some good work from Thomas Meunier.
It was new boy Draxler who had the final say, though, beating Vincensini with a cheeky chip after being sent clean through by Ben Arfa.