Paris Saint-Germain secured a 3-1 win over Lens in a Ligue 1 match which saw three players sent off this evening.
Edinson Cavani had a string of early chances for the visitors, but it was the hosts, who are playing at Stade Francais while their ground is renovated, who took the lead when Adamo Coulibaly caught the visitors out with a quick counter-attack, firing the ball in with a low finish.
The French champions pressed hard for an equaliser, and were back on level terms before the half-hour mark as Maxwell played the ball in for Yohan Cabaye to blast in from just outside the box.
Maxwell found the target himself five minutes later, unleashing a powerful, curling effort from almost 30 yards out to beat Rudy Riou, and put PSG ahead for the first time.
After the break, Pierrick Valdivia tried to get Lens back on level terms with a long-range effort, but Salvatore Sirigu was ready for the strike.
An incident-packed spell started moments later down the other end when Jean-Philippe Gbamin brought down Cavani in the box, giving away a penalty and picking up his second booking of the match to reduce the hosts to 10 men.
Cavani took the spot kick himself, scoring easily to give the visitors a two-goal cushion, but his celebration depicting him shooting a bow and arrow angered the referee, earning him booking.
The striker protested the yellow card so vociferously that he earned himself another booking, resulting in him scoring and being sent off in the space of a minute.
The referee was reaching for his red card again a few minutes later when Jerome Le Moigne, who had been booked in the first half, picked up his second caution for a foul on Cabaye, which forced the scorer of PSG's second goal off with an injury.
With their opponents reduced to nine men, PSG sought to keep possession and defend their lead for the majority of the remaining 30 minutes, although there were half-chances for Jean-Christophe Bahebeck and Lucas Moura.
Valdivia had the best chance to pull a goal back for Lens, but his drilled shot from just outside the area failed to test Sirigu.
The result that moves Paris Saint-Germain up to second in the table, while Lens sit 18th.
Sian Cowper
