Second Preview: PSG vs Gazelec Ajaccio

“It’s a pity we didn’t take more of our chances, but we didn’t concede any goals and that’s good because last season teams often equalized against us”.

A week after beating Girondins Bordeaux in their opening match of the season, Reims condemned Marseille to their second successive league defeat just days after coach Marcelo Bielsa’s shock exit from the club following a contract dispute.

In the other match on Sunday, forward Benjamin Moukandjo’s stoppage-time penalty earned Lorient a last-gasp 1-1 draw with Bastia at Stade Yves Allainmat stadium. “It will give us more momentum and motivation (and) the squad needs it”.

But this was always likely to be a trying night for Gazelec, a club whose overall budget for their debut season at the top level barely equates to Ibrahimovic’s annual salary at the Parc des Princes.

PSG’s incessant early pressure paid off in the 12th minute when Silva’s cross was poorly dealt with and Matuidi reacted quickest to lash a shot past goalkeeper Clement Maury.

PSG added their second goal midway through the first half, captain Silva putting the disappointment of being dropped from the Brazil squad last week behind him as he headed home a Thiago Motta corner.

The home side continued to dictate terms in the second half and came close to scoring in the 63 minute when David Luiz did well to get on the end of a teasing cross into the box, but his header went inches wide of the post.

“Of course it’s hard to compete (against PSG) but we gave everything”, Gazelec defender Roderic Filippi said.

Attention quickly turned back to the transfer market following the opening weekend, and the latest rumours have seen PSG linked with Monaco full-back Layvin Kurzawa, who could be signed as a replacement for the Roma-bound Lucas Digne. But there was little to toast after another disappointing result for nine-time champion Marseille, the only French club to win the European Cup, in 1993.

Bielsa stepped down after OM lost 1-0 at home to Caen in week one, while interim coach Franck Passi took charge in a defeat on Sunday, which also saw midfielder Alaixys Romao sent off.

“We could have given a better account of ourselves”, Passi said.