Draxler delivers instant return for PSG

AFP, PARIS: New boy Julian Draxler produced a brilliant first-time finish to give Paris Saint Germain a 1-0 win at Rennes on his Ligue 1 debut for the champions on Saturday.
The victory lifts PSG level second with Monaco on 42 points, two behind table-toppers Nice, who host lowly Metz Sunday, while the Monegasques face a tough trip along the coast to Marseille.
The 2014 World Cup winner Draxler, 23, and freshly arrived on a 40 million euros ($42 million) transfer from Wolfsburg, looked at home in his PSG shirt from the kick off.
And when the goal came it was the third time he and Italian midfielder Marco Verratti had teamed up to pressure the goal as Unai Emery’s team, who face Nantes next week, start to gel.
After a pin-point cross-field pass from Verratti on 40 minutes, Draxler unleashed a reflex, curling shot from the corner of the area which curled around the defence and the clutching grasp of a full-stretch Benoit Costil and just inside the post.
“Draxler did a good job. Scored a beautiful goal and showed his quality and value to the team. He’s fitted in well,” Emery said.
Draxler had already dummied a defender and shot at goal from a long Verratti pass early on but his shot had been too close to Costil.

Draxler delivers instant return for PSG

AFP, PARIS: New boy Julian Draxler produced a brilliant first-time finish to give Paris Saint Germain a 1-0 win at Rennes on his Ligue 1 debut for the champions on Saturday. The victory lifts PSG level second with Monaco on 42 points, two behind table-toppers Nice, who host lowly Metz Sunday, while the Monegasques face a tough trip along the coast to Marseille. The 2014 World Cup winner Draxler, 23, and freshly arrived on a 40 million euros ($42 million) transfer from Wolfsburg, looked at home in his PSG shirt from the kick off. And when the goal came it was the third time he and Italian midfielder Marco Verratti had teamed up to pressure the goal as Unai Emerys team, who face Nantes next week, start to gel. After a pin-point cross-field pass from Verratti on 40 minutes, Draxler unleashed a reflex, curling shot from the corner of the area which curled around the defence and the clutching grasp of a full-stretch Benoit Costil and just inside the post. Draxler did a good job. Scored a beautiful goal and showed his quality and value to the team. Hes fitted in well, Emery said. Draxler had already dummied a defender and shot at goal from a long Verratti pass early on but his shot had been too close to Costil.