Edinson Cavani scored a hat trick and Zlatan Ibrahimovic grabbed two as Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Guingamp 6-0 on Friday to move provisionally six points clear of Lyon and take a step toward a third straight French title.
Since being eliminated by Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals, PSG has scored 17 goals in four league games, with Cavani getting seven during that spell to take his league tally to 16 this season.
PSG also moved well clear of Lyon on goal difference and will all but seal the title if Lyon loses at Caen on Saturday, with two rounds remaining after this weekend's games. "What pleased me was the score and how we played," PSG coach Laurent Blanc said. "For the past five or six (league) games, everyone's been involved."
For the third time in the last four games, Cavani scored inside the first five minutes. Brazilian left back Maxwell added the other goal. Cavani took two minutes to give PSG the lead, making a run to the near post to turn in right back Serge Aurier's cross after good work from midfielder Javier Pastore.
After Guingamp top scorer Claudio Beauvue went close to equalizing with a powerful strike from long range that forced goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu into a smart save, Ibrahimovic made it 2-0 in the 18th after being set up by Cavani and midfielder Marco Verratti.
Ibrahimovic then turned provider in the 51st as he collected a quick pass from midfielder Yohan Cabaye and fed Cavani, whose shot from the edge of the penalty flew under the crossbar. Ibrahimovic was in generous mood again five minutes later, setting up his former Ajax teammate and close friend Maxwell for a header at the back post.
Cavani made it 5-0 with a low volley following more good work from the lively Verratti's quickly-taken free kick. "I'm very happy to have Verratti in my team, he's starting to go up another level," Blanc said.
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