Diané arrival ends PSG's home woe

Paris Saint-Germain FC arrived at the Christmas break with a most unwanted record – no home wins in Ligue 1. A 3-0 defeat of RC Lens on Sunday in their first 2008 league fixture at the Parc des Princes ended an eight-month, ten-game wait, and sent PSG into mid-table for good measure.

Match transformed
At kick-off, Lens knew that a win would allow them to escape the relegation zone at the expense of PSG. And at half-time the game was goalless, but the PSG coach Paul Le Guen was forced to replace injured striker Didier Digard with Amara Diané, who went on to produce a performance that led him to be named man of the match by L'Equipe. In the 56th minute he crossed for fellow substitute Pauleta to score with only his second touch, and within eight minutes Diané had added two goals of his own. Not bad for a player only available because Ivory Coast had overlooked him for their African Cup of Nations squad.

Diané relieved
Diané, whose efforts sent PSG up six places from their Sunday morning position to eleventh, said: "We have been waiting for a long time but we finally did it. It's a real relief and I hope we can now build on this success." Defender Mario Yepes, who turned 32 on Sunday, quipped: "I told my team-mates they can feel free to win on days other than my birthday."

Le Guen optimistic
Le Guen, whose team are now within sight of the UEFA Cup places but are still only five points above the relegation zone, said: "This win is good for the side and good for the fans. It makes us more optimistic. We enjoyed that game at the end because we knew we would get the result we have been seeking for months. We aim to settle in the top half of the table but we are still under pressure."

Away form
Still, PSG are a long way from their pre-season role as expected title challengers to Olympique Lyonnais, though they should be according to their away record, which with 18 points from nine games is the best in Ligue 1. "It's hard to explain why we perform so well away and so badly at home," said Le Guen. "PSG are a special side with high expectations from the media and fans. Maybe some players are inhibited at the Parc des Princes. Hopefully this win will unleash them."