Ten-man PSG held again in Ajaccio draw
Reuters - Sunday 19 August 2012, 22:30
Big-spending Paris Saint-Germain
continued their shaky start to the Ligue 1 season when they were
held to a 0-0 draw at AC Ajaccio and had Ezequiel Lavezzi sent
off before the floodlights failed for several minutes on Sunday.
PSG, expected to ease to the title, were missing new
signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, who are not fully
fit, but still had the best chances before Argentine Lavezzi was
dismissed on the hour for a two-footed jumping tackle.
Jeremy Menez had a gilt-edged opportunity but his effort was
saved amid PSG pressure while Eduardo hit the post with a classy
strike for the Corsicans, relegation contenders last term.
With the game already into injury time, the floodlights at
the modest Francois-Coty stadium suddenly went out and fans and
players stood about wondering what was going on as the referee
chatted with Ajaccio officials.
Eventually the lights came back on and the teams played out
the remaining few minutes with no incidents.
PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti, sent to the stands before the
blackout for kicking a bottle in disgust, also saw his side draw
their opener last weekend when ex-Milan forward Ibrahimovic
spared their blushes with a late leveller at home to Lorient.
CONFIDENCE BOOST
Olympique Marseille and Andre-Pierre Gignac endured a torrid
time last season but the burly front-man finally came good with
the first goal in a 2-0 win over Sochaux at the Stade Velodrome.
Rod Fanni sealed the win late on as the southerners racked
up a second straight league win under new coach Elie Baup.
"It's good for our confidence. It's a good start to the
season. It has been a while since OM started a season like
this," Gignac told reporters after scoring following a 54th
minute corner and having other chances.
Girondins Bordeaux, the 2009 champions who were just as
anonymous as 2010 winners Marseille last term, also made it a
maximum six points when Poland midfielder Ludovic Obraniak
netted his second of the season in a 1-0 win over Stade Rennes.
Henri Saivet missed a penalty midway though the first half
but Obraniak fired in 15 minutes from time for the hosts.
On Saturday, Marseille's next opponents Montpellier again
stuttered in their title defence with a last-gasp 2-1 loss at
Lorient.