Luyindula lifts PSG out of danger
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
PARIS, Dec 24 (AFP): Peguy Luyindula's second half header lifted Paris Saint Germain to a vital 1-0 win at Saint Etienne Sunday, an early Christmas present that lifted Paul Le Guen's side out of the danger zone.
This fifth win of a tortuous campaign moved PSG clear of relegation territory by one point into fifth from bottom to give Le Guen some crucial breathing space.
The match started at a good tempo despite the freezing conditions with both sides battling to get an early stranglehold on the game.
David Gigliotti came close to opening the scoring for the home side on the ten minute mark when his superbly struck shot from outside the box left Mickael Landreau stranded and rattled the far post.
Saint Etienne keeper Jeremie Janot was called into action on the 31st minute after a through-ball from PSG's Clement Chantome found its way into the path of a goalbound Peguy Luyindula.
Janot, however, was quick to react and slid out to meet the PSG forward blocking the shot.
With ten minutes to the break Saint Etienne piled on the pressure.
They were once again denied the opener by the uprights when a Geoffrey Dernis free kick was missed by all in the box and bounced back off the post but an acrobatic Didier Digard missed the rebound firing the ball over the bar.
This fifth win of a tortuous campaign moved PSG clear of relegation territory by one point into fifth from bottom to give Le Guen some crucial breathing space.
The match started at a good tempo despite the freezing conditions with both sides battling to get an early stranglehold on the game.
David Gigliotti came close to opening the scoring for the home side on the ten minute mark when his superbly struck shot from outside the box left Mickael Landreau stranded and rattled the far post.
Saint Etienne keeper Jeremie Janot was called into action on the 31st minute after a through-ball from PSG's Clement Chantome found its way into the path of a goalbound Peguy Luyindula.
Janot, however, was quick to react and slid out to meet the PSG forward blocking the shot.
With ten minutes to the break Saint Etienne piled on the pressure.
They were once again denied the opener by the uprights when a Geoffrey Dernis free kick was missed by all in the box and bounced back off the post but an acrobatic Didier Digard missed the rebound firing the ball over the bar.