Dani Alves sends PSG 17 points clear
ByReuters
Updated 18/03/2018 at 15:57 GMT
Dani Alves struck late to give Paris St Germain a 2-1 victory at Nice on Sunday as they extended their Ligue 1 lead to a massive 17 points.
(From L) Paris Saint-Germain's Italian midfielder Marco Verratti, Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder Adrien Rabiot, Paris Saint-Germain's French defender Layvin Kurzawa, Paris Saint-Germain's French defender Presnel Kimpembe (R) and Paris Saint-Germa
Image credit: Getty Images
The kickoff was brought forward to 1200GMT to ensure maximum exposure in China and Asia and PSG, who now have 83 points from 31 games, were keen to impress.
They failed to do so in a lacklustre performance but Alves's 82nd-minute header was enough for them to edge closer to a seventh French title.
Nice, who hit the woodwork through Mario Balotelli in the second half, opened the scoring through Allan Saint-Maximin, whose early goal was quickly cancelled out by Angel Di Maria.
Saint-Maximin beat PSG keeper Alphonse Areola from close range after being perfectly set up by Alassane Plea on 17 minutes.
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Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender Dani Alves celebrates after he scored the winning goal during the French L1 football match Nice (OGCN) vs Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on March 18, 2018 at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice
Image credit: Getty Images
That spurred PSG into action and the visitors equalised just four minutes later thanks to Di Maria, who found the back of the net with a left-footed effort.
Balotelli went close to putting Nice ahead again eight minutes before the break, but his curled effort shaved the far post.
PSG had a chance on the hour, but Nice keeper Walter Benitez pulled off a superb save to tip Alves's bicycle kick over the bar.
Balotelli forced Areola into another brilliant save two minutes later as Nice piled on the pressure.
The Italian hit the woodwork 15 minutes from fulltime with a header while the visitors had another chance four minutes later when Kylian Mbappe's header went just over.
Eight minutes from fulltime, however, Alves met Adrien Rabiot's cross to send his header past Benitez.
Later on Sunday, third-placed Olympique de Marseille will hope stay in the hunt for second when they host fourth-placed Olympique Lyonnais.
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