PSG taste first defeat under new coach

AFP, PARIS: Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain suffered their first defeat under new coach Unai Emery on Sunday, going down 3-1 to a rampant Monaco at the Stade Louis II.
Joao Moutinho put Monaco ahead before a Fabinho penalty doubled their lead just before half-time to leave the visitors up against it.
Edinson Cavani pulled a goal back in the second half but a Serge Aurier own-goal late on secured a deserved win for the home side that lifts them level on seven points with early league leaders Guingamp.
PSG lie a point behind in fifth place after seeing their perfect start to the campaign ended in the principality.
“If we had controlled the start of the match things would have been different,” said Emery.
“When Monaco scored we needed to stay calm but we lost too many balls in midfield and the second goal was important. I need to learn from this defeat.”
It is a defeat that will raise major questions about the capital club’s strategy after a summer in which they sacked coach Laurent Blanc and lost their talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Spaniard Emery was brought in from Sevilla fresh from winning the Europa League but it was always going to be difficult to find a successor to Ibrahimovic.
PSG went unbeaten through their first 27 league games last season before eventually being beaten at the end of February while in the two previous seasons they did not lose in Ligue 1 until December.
The warning signs had been there in their opening two wins against Bastia and Metz, in which Paris failed to entirely convince despite winning.
Against a Monaco side fresh from beating Villarreal to qualify for the Champions League group stage, they fell behind in the 13th minute and never recovered.
Moutinho, a Euro 2016 winner with Portugal, got the opener with a terrific first-time strike from a Djibril Sidibe cross and Cavani squandered a decent chance to level the scores before Monaco won a penalty right at the end of the first half.
David Luiz was penalised for a foul in the area and Fabinho stepped up to beat Kevin Trapp from 12 yards for his fourth goal from a spot-kick already this season.

PSG taste first defeat under new coach

AFP, PARIS: Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain suffered their first defeat under new coach Unai Emery on Sunday, going down 3-1 to a rampant Monaco at the Stade Louis II. Joao Moutinho put Monaco ahead before a Fabinho penalty doubled their lead just before half-time to leave the visitors up against it. Edinson Cavani pulled a goal back in the second half but a Serge Aurier own-goal late on secured a deserved win for the home side that lifts them level on seven points with early league leaders Guingamp. PSG lie a point behind in fifth place after seeing their perfect start to the campaign ended in the principality. If we had controlled the start of the match things would have been different, said Emery. When Monaco scored we needed to stay calm but we lost too many balls in midfield and the second goal was important. I need to learn from this defeat. It is a defeat that will raise major questions about the capital clubs strategy after a summer in which they sacked coach Laurent Blanc and lost their talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Spaniard Emery was brought in from Sevilla fresh from winning the Europa League but it was always going to be difficult to find a successor to Ibrahimovic. PSG went unbeaten through their first 27 league games last season before eventually being beaten at the end of February while in the two previous seasons they did not lose in Ligue 1 until December. The warning signs had been there in their opening two wins against Bastia and Metz, in which Paris failed to entirely convince despite winning. Against a Monaco side fresh from beating Villarreal to qualify for the Champions League group stage, they fell behind in the 13th minute and never recovered. Moutinho, a Euro 2016 winner with Portugal, got the opener with a terrific first-time strike from a Djibril Sidibe cross and Cavani squandered a decent chance to level the scores before Monaco won a penalty right at the end of the first half. David Luiz was penalised for a foul in the area and Fabinho stepped up to beat Kevin Trapp from 12 yards for his fourth goal from a spot-kick already this season.