Rabiot shines as PSG beat Toulouse to take top spot

Adrien Rabiot showed glimpses of his huge potential when his double inspired Paris St Germain to a 3-1 home win against Toulouse as the French champions claimed provisional top spot in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Reuters
Published : 22 Feb 2015, 04:31 AM
Updated : 22 Feb 2015, 04:31 AM

Holding midfielder Rabiot, who started at the Parc des Princes after Thiago Motta and Yohan Cabaye were ruled out injured, scored either side of the interval to put PSG on 52 points from 26 games.

Wissam Ben Yedder reduced the gap in the second half but Thiago Silva wrapped it up with a third.

PSG lead Olympique Lyonnais, who host Nantes on Sunday, by one point.

Laurent Blanc's side, who salvaged a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at home in a Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday, dominated throughout as Rabiot produced a brilliant performance.

The 19-year-old Rabiot, third in the holding midfielders' pecking order at PSG, put the home side ahead when he fired a rising shot into the top corner after being set up just outside the box by Zlatan Ibrahimovic's clever backheel in the 27th minute.

PSG were barely threatened and they doubled the tally through Rabiot, who tapped in from close range from Javier Pastore's low cross.

The hosts, however, suffered a dip in concentration and the unmarked Wissam Ben Yedder headed home at the far post to reduce the arrears.

Ibrahimovic came close in the 55th minute but his curled shot from just outside the box went wide.

Centre back Thiago Silva made up for his glaring defensive weaknesses in the 74th minute when he scored PSG's third goal with a header.

The game between Evian Thonon Gaillard and Lorient was postponed because of heavy snowfalls, the French League said.