Saint-Etienne 0 - 2 Paris Saint Germain: Zlatan Ibrahimovic double puts Paris St Germain 24 points clear in Ligue 1

Posted Monday, February 01, 2016 by PA

Runaway leaders Paris St Germain tightened their grip on Ligue 1 with a 2-0 win at St Etienne to move 24 points clear at the top of the table.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's goal just after the hour broke the resistance of the home side, who had held their own and also forced Kevin Trapp into several saves.

The Sweden forward added a second from close range deep into stoppage time as PSG closed out a 13th straight win in all competitions.

Following Monaco's defeat to third-placed Angers on Saturday, PSG are now all but champions once again, as Laurent Blanc's side equalled the record of 32 matches unbeaten in the French top flight.

Les Verts, though, had almost been gifted an early goal when Kevin Monnet-Paquet was close to latching onto a stray backpass from Benjamin Stambouli, but PSG goalkeeper Trapp reacted quickly to scramble the loose ball clear.

PSG - who moved into the Coupe de la Ligue final with a 2-0 defeat of Toulouse in midweek - looked to utilise the counter-attack, with Angel di Maria and Ibrahimovic a threat, as the striker drilled over after the Argentinian's run and pass from the edge of the penalty area.

The hosts, though, continued to push forward, with Trapp having to claw away a right-wing cross from Kevin Malcuit which was floating towards the far corner before he tipped over a rising 18-yard shot from Franck Tabanou, the defender on loan from Swansea.

Jean Christophe Bahebeck then drilled another effort wide from just outside the PSG penalty area.

However, on 35 minutes, St Etienne were forced into some desperate defending to prevent the visitors taking the lead.

A chipped ball in from Di Maria dropped to Ibrahimovic in the penalty area, and the big Swedish striker sent a backheel goalwards, which goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier pushed away.

Lucas Moura was first to the rebound at the far post, but St Etienne captain Moustapha Sall produced a superb sliding clearance to knock the ball off the line.

The defender almost found the net at the other end late in the first half, but just failed to connect as a deep free-kick dropped through the PSG box.

At the start of the second half, Tabanou got in on the overlap down the left again, but could only volley the floated cross high and wide.

After Trapp had saved a low, 20-yard shot from Monnet-Paquet, PSG made the breakthrough on 61 minutes when Ibrahimovic stabbed home after Serge Aurier had powered through the right side of the penalty area.

Edinson Cavani replaced Moura for the final quarter-of-an-hour to give the Ligue 1 leaders another attacking option as the home side played a high defensive line going in search of a late equaliser, which almost came when substitute Jeremy Clement, the former PSG midfielder, sent in a low strike from the edge of the box, and had Trapp scrambling down to his left.

With two minutes of added time almost up, Aurier darted down the right again, cutting the ball back for Di Maria. His scuffed shot fell at the feet of Ibrahimovic who, played onside by Sall, flicked the ball into the net.