A Zlatan Ibrahimovic brace has given Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 lead at the halfway stage of their Ligue 1 clash with Saint-Etienne this evening.
© AFP
The visitors were the first to threaten when Benoit Tremoulinas made his way past Christophe Jallet before feeding Franck Tabanou, who in turn drew a fine save from Salvatore Sirigu with a powerful strike from 25 yards.
PSG were ahead just one minute later, however, as Blaise Matuidi's initial effort deflected into the path of Ibrahimovic, who stabbed the ball into the bottom corner to break the deadlock.
The Swedish striker almost got a second goal in the 26th minute when he fired a free kick narrowly past Stephane Ruffier's post.
Ibrahimovic had another chance to double his personal tally moments later when he looked like getting on the end of Ezequiel Lavezzi's cross, but he failed to steer a relatively simple chance into the back of the net as his effort skewed wide.
He then turned provider as he lofted a fine pass over to Edinson Cavani, who attempted to take the shot first time only to fire wide of the mark.
The hosts continued to apply the pressure and came close again just two minutes later as Yohan Cabaye unleashed a long-range effort that Ruffier scrambled across his goal to nudge behind.
Ibrahimovic was next to threaten in a dominant spell for PSG, bending a sublime effort just over the bar from 25 yards out.
However, he would not be kept at bay for much longer, finally getting the hosts' second goal and his 25th of the season when he flicked Cavani's cross over the keeper.
Barney Corkhill
