PARIS: 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 it 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.
“I think the team played to win it and controlled the game in the first half. But their second goal did it for us,” PSG coach Unai Emery said afterwards. Midfielder Marco Verratti was blunt as he lamented the reverse. “We have lost a lot of matches — something’s not working very well. The only thing to do is not to talk but work harder. We are surely stronger than Guingamp — if we play at 100 per cent then we are going to win. “If we’re third it is not because we are playing well.”
The win delighted Guingamp counterpart 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 lost out to Montpellier that season but have dominated the league ever since. “Perfect — we won,” smiled Kombouare, whose side moved provisionally fourth in the table. — AFP
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