Jordan Ayew scores against PSG

Jordan Ayew scored for FC Lorient at the Parc des Princes as they fell 3-1 to reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital.

Les Merlus headed into this testing fixture on the back of a 2-1 victory over Stade Malherbe Caen and will have been encouraged by PSG’s own struggles against Girondins de Bordeaux on Sunday. Despite overcoming Chelsea to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals, PSG's form in the league has been patchy, having only won two of their previous five in the league heading into Friday’s clash.

However, any Lorient optimism was dampened from the off as goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte brought down Zlatan Ibrahimovic inside the first three minutes.

The Swedish superstar put a controversial week behind him as he swept the subsequent spot kick into the net.

After scoring so early, PSG were expected to comfortably see out the contest. However, Blanc’s outfit struggled for intensity and failed to find the second goal that would have killed the match.

They were punished on 67 minutes when Jordan, receiving the ball outside the box, fired a thundering strike past Salvatore Sirigu in the Paris goal.

The Black Star had the chance to give Lorient the lead moments later but was thwarted when midfielder Marco Verratti—the game’s outstanding individual—headed off the line.

The danger appeared to reinvigorate Paris and the home side upped the ante for the rest of the half, bringing on Adrien Rabiot after the youngster missed out following his fine showing against Bordeaux.

They reaped the rewards on 82 minutes when centre-back Lamine Kone brought down Javier Pastore inside the Lorient box. Penalty to PSG and again, Zlatan demonstrated his unerring cool from the spot to make it 2-1.

As Sylvain Ripoll’s side surged forward in search of a second equaliser, Paris picked them off and Ibrahimovic completed his hat-trick in the dying moments of the match.

Ayew—who has been named in Avram Grant’s first post-Africa Cup of Nations Ghana squad—was unfortunate to be on the losing side and appeared a cut above his colleagues for much of the match.

The goal was the striker’s ninth of the Ligue 1 campaign, although it doesn’t help Lorient much—the Brittany side remain entrenched in a relegation battle. They sit only five points off 18th-place Toulouse having played a game more.