EUROMIX: PSG leave it late, Schalke look up, PSV miss chance and Juve march on
PARIS: High-spending champions Paris Saint-Germain stepped to second place in the French league after a Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s first goal of term confirmed a 2-0 in over Guingamp.
Stuttering PSG were booed off at halftime in the Parc des Princes by their fans who grew more restive until the two stoppage-time goals from substitute Adrien Rabiot and Ibrahimovic.
PSG’s second consecutive win lifted them one point behind leaders Marseille who host third-placed Monaco.
Earlier Kevin Berigaud scored twice in the first half as Olympique Lyonnais went down 2-1 at Evian, their fourth consecutive loss in all competitions. The seven-time French champions, who were eliminated 4-0 on aggregate by Real Sociedad in the Champions League playoffs. They had not lost four competitive games in a row since March 2009.
In Germany Schalke beat fellow Champions League contenders Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 to secure a first Bundesliga win of the season and end their opponents’ three-game winning streak. Schalke included both new signings Kevin-Prince Boateng and Dennis Aogo. Marco Hoeger and Jefferson Farfan (penalty) scored the goals.
Hamburg celebrated their first victory of the season by beating Eintracht Braunschweig with two early goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Jacques Zoua then two late in the game from Hakan Calhanoglou.
In Holland PSV Eindhoven had their centenary birthday celebrations spoiled as they were held 0-0 at home by Cambuur. PSV thus missed a chance to make amends for their midweek Champions League exit at the hands of Milan.
In Italy Arturo Vidal scored twice and Carlos Tevez added another goal as champions Juventus joined last season’s runners-up Napoli at the top of Serie A with a 4-1 win over 10-man Lazio. Napoli also made it two victories in two games by overcoming Chievo 4-2 in Verona with two goals from in-form Slovakian Marek Hamsik plus Gonzalo Higuain’s first Serie A strike.
In Portugal Sporting’s Colombian striker Fredy Montero and Benfica’s Serbian teenager Lazar Markovic scored a goal apiece as the Lisbon derby ended all-square at 1-1. The pair were both making their derby debuts after arriving in Portugal during the summer.
In Spain promoted Villarreal won a third consecutive match by 3-0 against Osasuna in Pamplona with goals from Jeremy Perbet, Javier Aquino and substitute Ikechukwu Uche.
###############
