Football: PSG slump to shock first league defeat
PSG slumped to a second defeat in a week as a 1-0 away loss at lowly Guingamp on Sunday.
PARIS (AFP) - Star-studded Paris Saint Germain slumped to a second defeat in a week as a 1-0 away loss at lowly Guingamp on Sunday snapped their Ligue 1 unbeaten run.
The shock reverse leaves the door open for Ligue 1 leaders Marseille, on 38 points, to climb four clear later Sunday when they take on Monaco.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi had been furious as the side lost their record as last unbeaten team in any of Europe s leading nations with a 3-1 defeat in Barcelona on Wednesday.
But this was far worse.
Jeremy Pied got Guingamp s goal with a flying header on the edge of the six-yard box in the 11th minute with the Paris central defence of Thiago Silva and David Luiz nowhere to be seen.
"It was poor marking all round, even me I got it wrong," said PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi.
"We re really upset. We re just not used to losing and now that s two in a week."
Edinson Cavani had hit the crossbar in the second minute and Zlatan Ibrahimovic had the ball in the net in the 35th minute only to see an offside flag go up.
Paris should have had a penalty on the hour when Dorian Leveque handled when challenging Ezequiel Lavezzi, who was given a yellow card for his furious reaction when no spot-kick was awarded.
PSG had ten wins and seven draws going into the game and, despite dominating, Guingamp s bloody-minded resistance was eventually more than a match for the Qatari-backed PSG side.
"This is not just a bad week, it s a dreadful one," said PSG coach Laurent Blanc.
"If we lose because the other side were good that s one thing, but this we cannot tolerate."
Lille, dumped out of the Europa League in midweek, picked up three welcome points with a 3-0 win over Toulouse, thanks to goals from Djibril Sibide, Ryan Mendes and Nolan Roux.
Earlier, Saint Etienne coach Christophe Galtier was left with a bitter taste after a 0-0 stalemate with Nice saw his midfielder Ismael Diomande sent off for a second yellow after a clash with Nice s Carlos Eduardo, who was also given a straight red for his studs in the face challenge.
"He got kicked in the face, I can t explain it," said Galtier of the second yellow. "The guy from Nice deserved his red though."
On Saturday a freak own goal helped Nantes to a 2-1 win over Bordeaux to end a three-match losing run thanks to Jordan Veretout s opener, cancelled out by Kian Hansen s own goal.
In the 66th minute Bordeaux s young Slovenian reserve keeper Azbe Jug haplessly scored the decider when the ball, rebounding off a post, struck him on the head and ended up in his own net.
Rennes were thwarted 2-0 at Bastia, playing much of the game a man down after Fallou Diagne s 26th minute red card.
A first half stoppage time goal from Ryad Boudebouz and Yannick Cahuzac s effort nine minutes from time earned Bastia a precious fourth win of the season.
Reims Brazilian midfielder Rigonato scored either side of the break in Reims pulsating defeat of Evian, while on a high-scoring day in the French top flight Lens came from behind to salvage a 3-3 draw at Montpellier.
On Friday, Ligue 1 s leading scorer Alexandre Lacazette grabbed a brace as Lyon beat bottom club Caen 3-0 to make it eight consecutive home wins.
