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Attendance: 20,685
Metz logo
Ligue 1 | Gameweek 4
Aug 30, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
PSG logo

0-2

FT(HT: 0-2)
di Maria (11' pen.), Maxim Choupo-Moting (43')

Homophobic banner interrupts match as PSG defeat Metz

Homophobic banner interrupts match as PSG defeat Metz
© Reuters
Goals from Di Maria and Choupo-Moting gave PSG a third victory in their opening four matches.

Paris St Germain moved to the top of Ligue 1 with a 2-0 win at Metz but the match had to be temporarily halted after a banner was unfurled in the stands sporting a homophobic message.

The reigning champions were ahead after 11 minutes through Angel Di Maria's penalty but shortly afterwards the game was halted.

An offensive sign was spotted in the home end and referee Frank Schneider stopped play – as officials have been instructed to do in such instances by the French Football Federation during the 2019-20 season.

It was the second time in three days a homophobic incident has occurred in the French top flight after Nice's clash with Marseille was also held up when two homophobic signs appeared in the stands.

After a delay of around five minutes the match got back under way and PSG doubled their lead just before half-time, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting the goalscorer.

Thomas Tuchel's team have now won both matches since their surprise defeat at Rennes on August 18 and sit at the top of the table ahead of Saturday's fixtures.

Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani were forced off with injuries against Toulouse last weekend and were not involved on Friday night, while Neymar was still absent as his future in Paris remains uncertain.

In their absence, it was left to Di Maria to take the penalty after Juan Bernat was tripped inside the area by Mamadou Fofana, and the Argentinian made no mistake with his spot-kick.

Idrissa Gueye came close to extending the lead with a header from a corner but the crossbar denied the summer signing from Everton his first goal for the club.

However, it was not all one way traffic in the early stages and Habib Diallo was giving the PSG defenders food for thought. Twice inside the first 25 minutes he got in behind Marquinhos and Thiago Silva before flashing efforts narrowly wide.

Choupo-Moting gave the visitors some breathing space two minutes before the break when he rose unchallenged to head in Marco Verratti's cross from a free-kick.

With a two-goal lead PSG were now fully in control and the earlier threat posed by Diallo had faded.

Tuchel's side had slowed the game right down since half-time but an injection of pace from Di Maria saw him force Alexandre Oukida into a decent save at his near post midway through the second half.

At the other end, Marcin Bulka had largely been a spectator for much of the night so the PSG goalkeeper showed good concentration when called upon five minutes from time to push away an effort from substitute Marvin Gakpa.

Oukida denied Choupo-Moting late on so it remained 2-0 and PSG recorded their third win from their opening four Ligue 1 fixtures.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG1192033102329
2MonacoMonaco117221881023
3Marseille116232415920
4Lille115421811719
5Lyon115331815318
6Nice1145221111017
7Reims115241915417
8Lens11452129317
9Auxerre115152019116
10Toulouse114341311215
11StrasbourgStrasbourg113442022-213
12Brest114161419-513
13Rennes113261318-511
14NantesNantes112451417-310
15Angers112451320-710
16Saint-EtienneSt Etienne113171025-1510
17Le HavreLe Havre11308823-159
18Montpellier HSCMontpellier112181131-207


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