Zlatan Fires Hattrick in PSG Win

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic marked his return from injury with a hattrick for Paris St. Germain in the 5-0 demolition of St. Etienne in a matchday 4 encounter of Ligue 1.

Ibrahimovic had missed the last two games in the league having scored twice on the opening day, and he added three more against a St. Etienne side that could not deal with a rampant PSG side.

St. Etienne’s nightmare in Paris began in farcical manner when goalkeeper Stephanne Ruffier was unable to control a back pass to him midway through the first half and struggled in vail to keep the ball out.

Zlatan then headed in his first of the night to double PSG’s lead just before the break, extending that lead just after the hour mark by latching on to a lapse of concentration in the St. Etienne defence to score.

Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani added his name to the scoresheet a minute later with a long range effort that went in off the post before Zlatan wrapped up an easy win for PSG 10 minutes later.

The result saw the reigning champions rise to second place on the table with eight points from four matches, two points behind early pacesetters Bordeaux that saw its 100% start to the season ended in a 1-1 draw at home to Bastia.

Vincent Enyeama’s Lille came away from Elderson Echejiele’s AS Monaco with a 1-1 draw to occupy third spot behind PSG on goal difference while Olympique Marseille is now fourth following a 4-0 drubbing of Nice.

In other results from matchday 4, seven-time champions Olympique Lyon fell to a third successive loss, conceding in the closing 10 minutes to lose 2-1 at Metz while newly promoted RC Lens came from a goal down to get a 4-2 win 10-man Riems.