Paris St-Germain (PSG) beat Metz 2-0 in a Ligue 1 game. The match is briefly interrupted because of a homophobic banner from fans.
Angel Di Maria and Eric Maxim scored goals the club needed to win in an undistinguished game. “We won and that is the important thing,” said Di Maria.
Di Maria had given PSG the lead with a penalty before the two-minute delay while the homophobic banner was being removed.
The hand-written banner held high by the fans ailed that they wanted the French League (LFP) to allow them to aim homophobic chants at PSG.
“PSG, LFP, let me sing to you to make you go to… I won’t be on TV because my words are not very cheerful.”
This was the second French top-flight game to be halted after a similar incident in Nice’s match with Marseille.
The game restarted after the two-minute delay with a drop ball.
Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani were not featured in the PSG squad because of injuries. Neymar, who wants to return to Spain was also left out of the squad. Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola who has become the center of transfer speculation dropped to the bench.
Di Maria smashed home an 11th-minute penalty giving PSG the lead. A match ball thrown from behind the goal towards Di Maria had already passed the crossbar when Argentine took the spot-kick.
Idrissa Gueye hit the Metz bar with a close-range header. The home team’s marking had not improved when Choupo-Moting had to jump to head home the second goal in the 43rd minute.
Striker Habib Diallo flashed a couple of long-range strikes in the first half.
In an uneventful second half, Opa Nguette of Metz burst into the PSG box. Colin Dagba blocked his powerful shot.
Farid Boulaya curled a free-kick after a nasty foul by Aouchiche just outside the box. Marvin Gakpa also shot wide for Metz in the dying seconds.
The match came to an end with PSG beating Metz 2-0.