Sluggish PSG shocked at gutsy Guingamp

Paris (AFP) – French title favourites Paris Saint Germain slumped to a 2-1 loss at Guingamp on Saturday to stay four points adrift of leaders Monaco and make just one point in their past three games.

PSG, champions for the past four years to take their overall haul to six — the Qatari-owned outfit was only founded in 1970 — huffed and puffed in a dire opening period before being caught by a two-goal salvo after half-time.

Angel di Maria and Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani did their best to rouse a sluggish PSG in the opening 45 minutes but could not find a breakthrough on the way to what was the club’s fourth league loss of the season.

Like PSG, Guingamp reached the League Cup quarter-finals in midweek and that success over Lyon underlined the western club’s league form which had taken them into the top six before start of play.

After the break, it was Guingamp who seized the initiative and they promptly took the lead on 66 minutes as Yannis Salibur fired home inside the box.

By then Di Maria had exited the action as the Argentine became ever less effective, Lucas Moura coming on for the former Manchester United man.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 as midfielder Nill de Pauw finished off a flowing move from close range with the PSG back four all at sea at the Stade Roudourou.

Marcus Coco found Jimmy Briand and he fed De Pauw for a neat clipped finish. 

Belgian De Pauw was starting for the first time having scored three times from the bench for Antoine Kombouare’s men earlier in the campaign.

Two goals behind, PSG tried belatedly to rally but Cavani had a goal ruled off for offside with 12 minutes remaining.

Two minutes later he did reduce the deficit with a close-range finish for his 17th league goal of the season — but that was as good as it good for the Parisians.  

The win will have given special satisfaction to Guingamp handler Kombouare, who PSG sacked five years ago to make way for Carlo Ancelotti even though they were top of the table at the time.

The big-spenders ultimately came in second behind Montpellier that season but have dominated the league ever since.

Nice top the table with 40 points from 17 games and will expect another win bonus Sunday at home to modest Dijon.

Monaco, who Sunday host a Lyon side dropping overnight to fifth, are second a point off the pace with PSG three points behind them.

Saturday’s match between Caen and Metz was meanwhile postponed to Sunday owing to fog in Caen’s home region of Normandy.