PARIS: Paris St Germain’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his first Ligue 1 goal this season before missing a penalty as they beat En Avant Guingamp 3-0 to provisionally extend their lead to four points on Tuesday.

Javier Pastore gave PSG an 18th-minute lead at the Parc des Princes and fellow Argentine Angel Di Maria netted his first goal in French domestic football to double the advantage in the 77th.

Ibrahimovic, who hadn’t scored since claiming a brace in a 6-0 win over Guingamp last May, wrapped up the victory six minutes from time — scoring with a simple toe-poke from Di Maria’s assist — to put PSG on 17 points from seven games after two consecutive draws.

They lead Stade Rennes and St Etienne who have 13 points and a game in hand.

Ibrahimovic, whose start to the campaign has been hampered by injuries, missed from the spot in the 87th minute.

“In the first half we had some chances without dominating a very compact Guingamp. In the second half it was obviously better,” PSG coach Laurent Blanc said afterwards.

“As for Ibrahimovic, just like the rest of the team, he was full of intent and was much better with the ball in the second half. I found his movement much better than it was against Reims. He’s still lacking that little something, but once he finds it he’ll score more goals.”

Stade de Reims and Angers are fourth and fifth respectively on 12 points after a 0-0 draw earlier on Tuesday.—Agencies

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2015

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