PSG turn up pressure on leaders Nice

easy here but we ended up winning. I think our experience made the difference,” PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi told Canal Plus.

PSG had Serge Aurier back in the side after he missed the midweek Champions League trip to Arsenal as British authorities barred the Ivorian international from entering the United Kingdom due to a recent conviction for assaulting a police officer.

They went in front at the Parc OL on the half-hour mark as Cavani netted from the penalty spot after Rafael was penalised for kicking Thiago Motta in the area.

Lyon were poor in the first half but coach Bruno Genesio sent on Valbuena and Nabil Fekir at the restart and was rewarded with an equaliser in the 48th minute.

Rafael cut in from the right and curled a shot off the far post, but the ball fell to France midfielder Valbuena, who converted for his first Ligue 1 goal in more than a year.

However, Paris showed great resolve to go on and win the game, substitute Thomas Meunier breaking forward down the right with Aurier and crossing for Cavani to head in at the back post.

The Uruguayan now has 13 league goals this season and 99 goals in total for the club he joined from Napoli in 2013.

An improving PSG are unbeaten in their last 11 games in all competitions and are turning up the pressure on Nice, as are Monaco, who beat Marseille 4-0 on Saturday.

Nice were again missing Mario Balotelli against Bastia due to a calf injury.

“We didn’t get the breaks that have helped us before when we have not played so well,” admitted Nice coach Lucien Favre.

“We scored quite early on and then, maybe subconsciously, we started to relax.

“All our matches against teams towards the bottom of the table have been difficult.” AFP