Niang opens season account as Kalu-less Bordeaux bow to PSG

M’Baye Niang scored his first goal of the season as Bordeaux suffered a 3-2 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Playing in his second game of the 2021-22 campaign, the Senegal international found the net but that could not stop the Girondins from losing before their teeming fans.

Still fresh from their 3-2 victory over Reims, Vladimir Petkovic’s men welcomed the Parisians – who were unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions – to the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux.

Nonetheless, they were pegged down by Neymar’s goal in the 26th minute. After he was found by Kylian Mbappe’s cross, the Brazilian beat his marker before drilling the ball past goalkeeper Benoit Costil at the near post.

Two minutes before the half time break, Mauricio Pochettino’s men doubled their advantage as Neymar and Mbappe combined again with a splendid one-two – with the Frenchman’s backheel setting up his partner to slot the ball home.

PSG’s dominance continued in the second half and they went three goals up three minutes after the hour mark through Mbappe who was assisted by Georginio Wijnaldum.

Not willing to go down without a fight, Bordeaux made some substitutions with Niang and Remi Oudin replacing Ricardo Mangas and Brazil’s Otavio respectively.

That paid off as they reduced the deficit in the 78th minute, as Honduras forward Alberth Elis capitalised on some sloppy play at the back to shoot past goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Buoyed by that, they pushed further for more goals. In stoppage time, Jimmy Briand and M’Baye linked up well to disentangle PSG’s backline as the African found the net.

A third was out of reach as Bordeaux crumbled to their fifth defeat of the ongoing campaign.  

Cameroon midfielder Jean Onana was handed a starter’s role but he was subbed off for Fransergio, while Nigeria’s Samuel Kalu and Algeria’s Abdel Medioub were unused substitutes.

Mozambique’s Mexer and Mali’s Issouf Sissokho were ruled out of the game due to contrasting injury problems.

For PSG, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi was in action from start to finish with Idrissa Gueye coming on as a second-half substitute for Julian Draxler.

Thanks to the result, the Parisians lead the Ligue 1 log with 34 points from 13 matches. They host Nantes in their next match on November 20.