Cavani marks return from wilderness with goal

Edinson Cavani redeemed himself after being dropped for three matches by scoring in Paris Saint Germain's hard fought 4-2 Ligue 1 victory over Evian on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Uruguayan star -- who along with Ezequiel Lavezzi had been suspended after they returned late from Christmas holidays -- notched his eighth goal of the campaign as PSG moved above St Etienne into third, four points adrift of leaders Lyon, who beat Lens 2-0 on Saturday.
St Etienne then missed a chance to go back ahead of them when they fought out a 0-0 deadlock at Brittany outfit Rennes.
In lashing, cold rain the two sides mustered a mere two shots on target all night Saint Etienne winger Ricky Van Wolfswinkel the only lively man on the pitch hobbled off after an hour.
Second-placed Marseille -- who are ahead of PSG on goal difference -- host Guingamp in the weekend's final match with Ligue 1 looking like it may have a close run title run in this season.      
However, title favourites PSG's overall performance against a team in the relegation zone will still cause coach Laurent Blanc some concern.
"I had the impression that we were waiting for us to be hurt before reacting," said Blanc.
"We're happy we won and the three points are primordial.
"However, there are things from the performance to be analysed and resolved.
"It is not in the team's philosophy to be reacting but rather it is to be creating and be proactive," added the 49-year-old former France coach.    
The hosts went behind in the 14th minute as Zlatan Ibrahimovic's careless header dropped to an Evian player who fed Cedric Barbosa.
Barbosa eluded Thiago Motta's tackle and fired in a shot which Salvatore Sirigu went the right way for but he failed to keep the ball out.
Boos rang out round the ground and the fans nerves weren't eased as Evian goalkeeper Benjamin Leroy produced some remarkable saves to keep them in front.
One from Ibrahimovic was especially noteworthy, although another at point blank range from David Luiz was even better and earned the goalkeeper a congratulatory hug from the Brazilian defender.
However, it was Luiz who finally broke his resistance getting on the end of a corner to level the match and setting off on one of his trademark celebratory runs along the touchline that had former France president Nicolas Sarkozy grinning alongside PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
Their grins were even wider as shortly before half-time Italian midfielder Marco Verratti prodded home for his first league goal for the club.
The hosts were unable to put the game to bed during the second-half and it was Evian who equalised as Gregory van der Wiel's poor decision not to leave the ball, from a harmless freekick, and instead head it back to Sirigu proved disastrous.
Sirigu was unable to gather the ball properly after saving it with one hand and the ball trickled over the line.
Back came the boos and the time came for Blanc to send on Cavani -- whether it was his physical presence that prompted it or not PSG almost immediately restored their one goal advantage through Javier Pastore.  
Pastore played the ball to Ibrahimovic, who found Lucas out on the right and the Brazilian's low cross was superbly tucked away by the Argentinian striker.
The match was finally safe when Cavani -- who had started the move -- pounced to tap in Ibrahimovic's pass and put himself not only level with the Swede as the club's joint top scorer with eight league goals but also back in the good books of both fans and coach.
Source: AFP