Soccer

Cavani goes off injured days before PSG meet Man United

Uruguayan scored his side’s winner from the penalty spot before being substituted

Paris Saint Germain’s Edinson Cavani goes down injured during their Ligue 1 win over Bordeaux. Photo: Christophe Petit Tesson/EPA

Sat Feb 9 2019 - 19:57

Paris Saint-Germain 1 Bordeaux 0

Edinson Cavani scored Paris St Germain’s winner against Bordeaux before going off injured to make him a doubt for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Manchester United.

Cavani scored from the spot just before the half-time whistle but appeared to injure himself in taking the penalty, with manager Thomas Tuchel taking no chances and substituting the striker.

His absence against United would be a concern for the French champions, with strike partner Neymar already sidelined by a foot injury.

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In a game of few clear-cut chances, PSG came out on top, bouncing back after suffering their first league defeat of the season 2-1 against Lyon on Sunday.

Thiago Silva had an early attempt cleared off the line by another Brazil international, Pablo, in his search for his first league goal of the season.

An early penalty shout by Cavani, after the striker appeared to be caught by Francois Kamano, was dismissed by the referee who decided not to turn to VAR for the decision.

The Uruguayan had the best chance of the early part of the game after being fed through by the fit-again Marco Verratti, controlling the ball with his right foot before volleying wide.

Moussa Diaby fired wide but the home side won a penalty after Thomas Meunier was brought down in the box by Nicholas de Preville and Cavani made no mistake, firing home after sending the keeper the wrong way for his 19th goal of the season.

In Bordeaux’s best chance of the game, the ball fell to Kamano at the edge of the box, but the striker’s shot was high and wide of the goal.

Minutes later, Kamano unleashed a better effort, forcing Gianluigi Buffon into his first save of the game, a one-handed palm over the bar, to keep PSG in the lead.

After creating space in the box Choupo-Moting had two or three opportunities to shoot or pass to Kylian Mbappe but the Bordeaux defence managed to get the ball away.

The league’s leading goalscorer Mbappe had a chance to wrap up the game in the final moments for PSG after being put through by Dani Alves, but was unable to put the ball in the net.