Paris Saint-Germain had the chance to move to the top of Ligue 1 on Saturday if they could beat Toulouse.
The French champions could climb a point clear of leaders AS Monaco, who play on Sunday, with a victory while Toulouse had the opportunity to lift them into contention for a European spot.
However, PSG struck either side of half time to propel themselves to the head of the table.
Read how the match unfolded in our live commentary below.
Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage from Ligue 1 where Paris Saint-Germain host Toulouse at Parc des Princes.
We're seven games into the new season and the champions are still yet to taste defeat in Ligue 1. Edinson Cavani's winner during the week helped PSG edge past Valenciennes 1-0 on the road to make it four wins and three draws so far this term. They sit just two points behind leader AS Monaco, who played Reims tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Toulouse also picked up a win with a hard-fought 1-0 result against Lorient on Wednesday. They are currently 11th in the table having tasted victory and defeat on two occasions with three matches ending in a draw. Toulouse will climb to at least seventh should they pull off an upset today, ahead of tonight fixtures.
So far this season, Toulouse have fared very well when it comes to facing the big boys. They have drawn at Monaco, against Marseille and beaten Saint-Etienne on the road. They will certainly be no pushovers today and have an in-form Martin Braithwaite in the team. However, PSG emerged victorious in this fixture last year thanks to goals from Javier Pastore and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The last time Toulouse won at Parc des Princes was in 2008 when Zoumana Camara scored an own goal. Today's visitors have won four times in total at PSG in 27 meetings.
Right, let's bring you the team news, starting with the champions.
PSG XI: Sirigu, Van der Wiel, Camara, Marquinhos, Maxwell, Verratti, Motta, Rabiot, Menez, Lucas, Ibrahimovic.
The big news is that, despite scoring the winner during the week, £55m striker Edinson Cavani starts on the bench for Laurent Blanc's side.
Blanc makes as many as seven changes to the team that beat Valenciennes, with Alex, Lucas Digne, Christophe Jallet, Blaise Matuidi, Javier Pastore, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Cavani all dropping out of the starting XI.
Zoumana Camara, Gregory Van der Wiel, Maxwell, Lucas, Jeremy Menez Adrian Rabiot and Thiago Motta all come into the team for the match. Captain Thiago Silva is still missing through injury for the hosts.
PSG BENCH: Douchez, Digne, Jallet, Matuidi, Ongenda, Cavani, Lavezzi
Time for the away side.
TOULOUSE XI: Ahamada, Abdennour, Aurier, Spajic, Sylla, Yago, Aguilar, Chantome, Didot,Trejo, Braithwaite
Alain Casanova has made two alterations to the team that beat Lorient on Wednesday night.
Pavle Ninkov and Wissam Ben Yedder drop the bench, while Serge Aurier and Abel Aguilar go straight into the starting XI.
Other big news is that Clement Chantome, who is on loan at Toulouse, starts against his parent club.
TOULOUSE BENCH: Blondel, Ninkov, Zebina, Regattin, Sireix, Ben Basat, Ben Yedder
The teams are out at the Parc des Princes, and we're close to the start of this match.
PSG are sporting their usual all-navy home strip with white and red squares on the shirts. Toulouse are kitted out in all white.
KICKOFF! PSG, playing from left to right, get the first half underway.
SAVE! Despite PSG's early possession, it's Toulouse who have had the first chance today. The cross comes in from the right where Didot heads the ball towards goal from the middle of the box, but Sirigu is able to push the effort away.
PSG once again have control of the ball but are yet to test Ahamada in the Toulouse goal. There are a lot of players getting some rare game time today as Blanc makes the most of his squad side. Big afternoon for the likes of Menez, Rabiot and Lucas.
CHANCE! PSG nearly find an opener as Rabiot is slipped in down the left and plays a wonderful pass across the face of goal, but Ibrahimovic nor Lucas could stretch enough and reach it.
PSG still in control and Rabiot, who spent last season on loan at Toulouse, seems very up for this match today against his old club.
Cavani and Lavezzi are seen warming up and smiling together, that's not a bad duo to be able to bring on if needs be.
Cavani is actually PSG's top scorer in Ligue 1 this season with three goals, despite having played significantly less in terms of minutes compared to two-goal Ibrahimovic.
For Toulouse, it's Martin Braithwaite who is the main man in front of goal for them so far this term with three goals.
Credit to Toulouse who have started this game well so far. They haven't seen a lot of the ball, but they have defended well and not allowed the hosts a real sniff at goal yet.
Rabiot is down in pain holding his back following a collision with a Toulouse man. The physio is on for him to receive some treatment.
Rabiot is slowly making his way off the field, but he seems as if he will be ok to return shortly.
We've had a quarter of this match gone and it has been disappointing so far in terms of chances at goal. Didot has had the only clear opportunity after a couple of minutes but his header was saved by Sirigu.
Yago gets a whack in the face after wrestling for the ball with Ibrahimovic and goes down. He is jeered by the home fans due to his lengthy treatment in the middle of the Toulouse half, which seems a bit harsh on the man.
Great challenge from Abdennour, who denies Lucas some creating some danger with a last-ditch tackle.
CHANCE! Toulouse come forward down the left with Sylla, who reaches the byline before pulling a low cross into the box. Braithwaite is on the edge of the six-yard box and gets to the ball first, but his effort goes wide of the near post. That was a difficult chance for the striker.
CHANCE! Nearly an opener for PSG. Menez has the ball on the left and chips a cross towards the far post. Ibrahimovic goes to meet it and gets a touch, but he is unable to make significant contact with the delivery and it bounces of the top of his side to the far side of the box.
PSG have been awarded a free kick on the right in a dangerous position.
GOAL! Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Toulouse (Marquinhos)
A bit of perseverance and PSG lead. Motta curls the free kick into the far post where Verratti makes a nuisance of himself. The ball drops to Marquinhos on the edge of the six-yard box, whose initial shot is saved by Ahamada before the ball is stopped on the line. However, the defender follows up his effort and slams the ball into the back of the net.
OFF THE LINE! Toulouse come forward in numbers and get a shot away in the box which is heading towards the bottom corner, but Verratti is there to make the vital block.
We'll have two minutes of added time.
HALF TIME: Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Toulouse
It's taken a while to get going, but PSG are ahead at the interval. Both sides had chances late in the half, but it is Marquinhos' strike that separates the teams.
Let's take a look at the half-time stats.
Match statistics:
Paris Saint-Germain:
Shots 5
On target 2
Possession 65%
Corners 4
Fouls 6
Toulouse:
Shots 4
On target 2
Possession 35%
Corners 2
Fouls 5
The two teams are back out at Parc des Princes.
KICKOFF! Toulouse, shooting to the right, get the match back underway.
PSG have started the second half strongly with a lot of attacking possession. Menez has a half-chance as Ibrahimovic turns on the right inside the box and chips a cross to the far post, but Menez scuffs his volley wide.
Toulouse hit PSG on the break and have a chance to put the ball into the box with Aurier. However, his delivery is poor and goes straight out of play.
PSG CHANGE Jeremy Menez, who is still working his way back to full fitness, is replaced by Ezequiel Lavezzi.
Today was Menez's first start of the season for PSG, and you can tell. He did look jaded in parts.
Today was Menez's first start of the season for PSG, and you can tell. He did look jaded in parts.
CHANCE! Ibrahimovic runs onto an early through ball and takes it through to goal. He makes his way into the box on the right and shoots low at the near post under pressure, but it hits the side-netting.
YELLOW CARD Abdennour goes into the book after tripping Ibrahimovic from behind. Corner in a good position for PSG on the left of the box now.
The free kick is poor from PSG and Toulouse can clear. Cavani is getting ready to come on.
SAVE! Brilliant run from Lucas, who brings the ball from the centre of the Toulouse half into the penalty area, beating several defenders in the process. He gets his shot away through a crowd of bodies with his left foot, but Ahamada can save with his legs.
PSG are starting to take the game to Toulouse now, and look likely to get a second the way things are going.
OFF THE POST! Rabiot can't get much closer to scoring. The corner is curled in from the right to the far post, where Rabiot meets it with a towering header. His effort comes off the inside of the post and rolls across the line before it is cleared by Braithwaite.
YELLOW CARD Aguilar goes into the book for Toulouse after a case of handbags with Ibrahimovic which left the Swede in a heap on the floor. After some lengthy time on the deck, he got back to his feet.
PSG CHANGE Cavani comes on in place of the captain Ibrahimovic. The Uruguayan will no doubt be delighted to get a chance in the middle, rather than on the flanks.
TOULOUSE CHANGE Ben Basat is on for Trejo.
CHANCE! Braithwaite picks up the ball on the edge of the box and goes to strike it from range, but scuffs his shot high and wide.
CHANCE! Long ball over the top from the left by Toulouse, which finds Chantome running at goal. He hits the bouncing ball first time as Sirigu rushes off his line, but it crashes into the side-netting.
PSG are living dangerously, it is still just the one goal they lead by, and Toulouse are getting back into this.
PENALTY TO PSG!
What was I just saying? A brilliant pass is slid through to Cavani, who races into the box. Spajic comes across and makes a tremendous sliding challenge to hook the ball away, but Cavani goes down and the referee awards a penalty. Toulouse cannot believe it.
PSG CHANGE Matuidi comes on in place of Lucas.
GOAL! Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Toulouse (Edinson Cavani)
Game, set and match for PSG. Cavani slots the ball in the bottom right corner and sends Ahamada the wrong way. All over now surely.
Lavezzi makes his way into the box, but can't get a shot away and is hustled off the ball.
The game has quietened down now following the second PSG goal. Both teams seem to accepted that the home side should win this.
TOULOUSE CHANGE Ben Yedder is on for Braithwaite.
TOULOUSE CHANGE Regattin comes on for Didot.
We will have three minutes of added time.
Toulouse have the ball in the back of the net, but it's flagged for offside.
FULL TIME: Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Toulouse
Well it wasn't overly convincing at times, but PSG are top of the table following that win.
Goals either side of half time from Marquinhos and then Edinson Cavani did the trick for the hosts.
Before I go, let's bring you the full-time stats.
Match statistics:
Paris Saint-Germain:
Shots 14
On target 4
Possession 61%
Corners 6
Fouls 12
Toulouse:
Shots 7
On target 3
Possession 39%
Corners 2
Fouls 15
That's it from me for this match, but I'll be covering the rest of tonight's Ligue 1 matches on Sports Mole.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
