Wasteful Cavani jeered as PSG see off Metz
Ligue 1 defending champions beat newly promoted Metz 3-0 on Sunday
Paris Saint-Germain's Italian midfielder Marco Verratti (R) celebrates with his teammate Argentinian midfielder Angel Di Maria after scoring during the French Ligue 1 Football match between Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and Metz on August 21, 2016 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. PHOTO: AFP
PARIS:
Lucas, Layvin Kurzawa and Marco Verratti got the goals as Paris Saint-Germain beat newly promoted Metz 3-0 at the Parc des Princes in coach Unai Emery's first home game in charge on Sunday.
The result allowed PSG to continue their perfect start to life under their new Spanish coach, but the evening was somewhat overshadowed by the whistles of the home support towards striker Edinson Cavani.
The Uruguay star scored 53 Ligue 1 goals in the last three seasons despite living in the shadow of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and toiling at times since his €64 million move from Napoli in 2013.
With idol Ibrahimovic having departed for Manchester United, Cavani is now PSG's main man in attack but he missed chance after chance against Metz and the French champions won in spite of the Uruguayan.
Cavani had a penalty appeal waved away as he went down under a Georges Mandjeck challenge and then saw a netbound shot deflected onto the post by Simon Falette late in the first half.
Later on, he contrived to slice the ball wide when a rebound fell to him after Angel Di Maria curled a shot against the bar.
Cavani kicked the post in frustration as the boos rang out from the stands in the capital.
Fortunately for the home side, by that point they were already two goals to the good, with Lucas getting the breakthrough seven minutes into the second half.
Left-back Kurzawa scored his third goal in as many competitive games this season for his club as he headed in from an Angel Di Maria corner midway through the second half to make it 2-0.
"When the strikers start improving in certain aspects, we will score a lot of goals," said Emery, who defended Cavani. "He demands an awful lot of himself. He has character. If we create as many chances in future, I am not worried about him scoring.
"That the fans are so demanding of Cavani is a good thing too."
PSG join Lyon and Nice on a maximum six points from two games, but Marseille remain without a win after the troubled giants lost 2-1 at Guingamp on Sunday afternoon.
Lucas, Layvin Kurzawa and Marco Verratti got the goals as Paris Saint-Germain beat newly promoted Metz 3-0 at the Parc des Princes in coach Unai Emery's first home game in charge on Sunday.
The result allowed PSG to continue their perfect start to life under their new Spanish coach, but the evening was somewhat overshadowed by the whistles of the home support towards striker Edinson Cavani.
The Uruguay star scored 53 Ligue 1 goals in the last three seasons despite living in the shadow of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and toiling at times since his €64 million move from Napoli in 2013.
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With idol Ibrahimovic having departed for Manchester United, Cavani is now PSG's main man in attack but he missed chance after chance against Metz and the French champions won in spite of the Uruguayan.
Cavani had a penalty appeal waved away as he went down under a Georges Mandjeck challenge and then saw a netbound shot deflected onto the post by Simon Falette late in the first half.
Later on, he contrived to slice the ball wide when a rebound fell to him after Angel Di Maria curled a shot against the bar.
Cavani kicked the post in frustration as the boos rang out from the stands in the capital.
Fortunately for the home side, by that point they were already two goals to the good, with Lucas getting the breakthrough seven minutes into the second half.
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Left-back Kurzawa scored his third goal in as many competitive games this season for his club as he headed in from an Angel Di Maria corner midway through the second half to make it 2-0.
"When the strikers start improving in certain aspects, we will score a lot of goals," said Emery, who defended Cavani. "He demands an awful lot of himself. He has character. If we create as many chances in future, I am not worried about him scoring.
"That the fans are so demanding of Cavani is a good thing too."
PSG join Lyon and Nice on a maximum six points from two games, but Marseille remain without a win after the troubled giants lost 2-1 at Guingamp on Sunday afternoon.