Shock loss for big-spending PSG in season opener

AP - Paris Saint-Germain was jeered off the field by the home fans at Parc des Princes on Saturday after its new era under Qatari ownership began with a 1-0 loss at home to Lorient.

PSG has spent heavily in the offseason and the club paraded record signing Javier Pastore before the match on the opening day of the French league season.

"Its a huge disappointment, we didn’t want to start this way," PSG coach Antoine Kombouare said. "We’re frustrated and disappointed for all the fans who came here tonight." Five new signings started the match, but Julien Quercia scored the 28th-minute winner for Lorient, which finished 11th last season.

"We have a lot players who are still off the pace physically. But what upset me the most is that we were much too tense in the first half," Kombouare said. “We know that it takes time to build a team with so many new arrivals, but you don’t always get the time.”

Elsewhere, Lisandro Lopez and Bafetimbi Gomis scored a goal each as seven-time former champion Lyon came from behind to win 3-1 at Nice. Defending champion Lille was held to a 1-1 draw at Nancy, and Marseille needed an equalizing goal from Loic Remy to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Sochaux.

PSG completed Pastore’s signing on Saturday, without giving any financial details, although reports put the transfer at €42 million ($60 million), taking the club’s transfer outlay this season to more than €80 million ($113.6 million).

Striker Kevin Gameiro, winger Jeremy Menez, midfielder Blaise Matuidi, defender Milan Bisevac and goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu all made their PSG debuts.

Lorient forward Kevin Monnet-Paquet missed an open goal before Quercia turned in Yann Jouffre’s freekick at the far post to stun the Parc des Princes crowd.

"We were catastrophic in the first half," Gameiro said. PSG struggled, with Brazilian winger Nene largely quiet and striker Guillaume Hoarau ineffective. Hoarau was jeered by PSG fans when he was replaced by Mathieu Bodmer in the second half. "We started badly and just couldn’t get going," PSG midfielder Clement Chantome said.

"It will take some time to get to know each other, and after that it will be better." With 20 minutes remaining, Sirigu was beaten by Arnold Mvuemba’s stinging freekick but saved by his crossbar.

Taking charge of his first ever match, Lyon coach Remi Garde saw his team fall behind to an early header from Nice winger Anthony Mounier. But Lopez and Gomis put Lyon 2-1 ahead at the interval. Lopez ran onto a hopeful long pass over the defense and stretched to get his toe onto the ball, flicking it into the bottom corner. Gomez slammed the ball in from close range after Nice failed to clear a corner. "I think they had a good understanding tonight," Garde said, praising his two strikers. "We were decisive on set pieces, which is encouraging for us."

Maxime Gonalons made it a night to remember for Garde by making it 3-1 in the 74th.
At Stade Velodrome, Lucho Gonzalez gave Marseille the lead in the 38th minute with a volley from the edge of the penalty area, and Andre Ayew and Remy then went close for Marseille.

Gonzalez, who has spoken of his wish to leave the club, went close with a curling shot moments later and hit the post in the second half. Marseille looked in control, but Sochaux caught Marseille napping and France midfielder Marvin Martin volleyed a cross under goalkeeper Steve Mandanda’s body in the 59th, before playmaker Ryad Boudebouz set up Vincent Nogueira to put Sochaux 2-1 up in the 71st.

But the lead was short-lived as Remy headed in Mathieu Valbuena’s corner three minutes later.

Lille sold three players during the offseason, with Ivory Coast winger Gervinho, defender Adil Rami and midfielder Yohan Cabaye all leaving. Marko Basa, replacing Rami in Lille’s defense, created the opening goal when he charged down the right and pulled the ball back for right back Mathieu Debuchy in the 48th.

Nancy equalized in the 61st when Lille failed to deal with a freekick from the right and the ball glanced off Lille defender Franck Beria’s head and flew past goalkeeper Mickael Landreau.

"After taking the lead we thought we had done the hard work, which is disappointing for us," Landreau said.

In Saturday’s other matches, it was: Ajaccio 0, Toulouse 2; Brest 2, Evian 2; Caen 1, Valenciennes 0, and Montpellier 3, Auxerre 1. In Sunday’s matches, it’s Dijon vs. Rennes, and Bordeaux vs. Saint-Etienne.