Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a comfortable 5-0 win over Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 this evening.
The Swedish striker came close to opening the scoring after just 11 minutes, but his powerful effort from range was held by Stephane Ruffier.
It was the visiting keeper that gifted the French champions the lead when Ruffier met a back-pass with a poor first touch, allowing the ball to bobble into his own net.
Florentin Pogba and Mevlut Erding both had chances to get Saint-Etienne back on level terms before half time, but the first shot was blocked, before Salvatore Sirigu tipped the second over.
Ibrahimovic doubled PSG's advantage just moments before the break, rising high in the middle of the box to head in from a Maxwell cross.
The hosts made a strong start to the second half as they tried to put the win beyond doubt, with Edinson Cavani forcing a save from Ruffier before Gregory van der Wiel fired just wide.
It was Ibrahimovic who added the third just after the hour mark, drilling the ball in from the right-hand side of the penalty area.
Cavani made it four just moments after the restart, drilling the ball in low from 25 yards out following a quick pass from Maxwell.
PSG continued to press, resulting in Ibrahimovic completing his sixth hat-trick for the club in the 72nd minute after Marco Verratti picked him out with a through-ball to the centre of the box.
Jean-Christophe Bahebeck tried to add to the scoring with 10 minutes to go, but Ruffier managed to hold on to his powerful shot from just outside the box.
The result leaves PSG second in the table, while Saint-Etienne remain eighth.
Sian Cowper
