Missing Ibrahimovic, PSG held to scoreless draw at Evian

ANNECY, France (AP) — Uninspired Paris Saint-Germain sorely missed star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the defending champion drew 0-0 with lowly Evian in the French league on Friday.

Edinson Cavani usually plays on the wings when Ibrahimovic is in the starting lineup. But the Sweden striker's absence because of a left oblique muscle injury allowed Cavani to play as a center forward, his favored position.

Cavani had two clear-cut chances. He collected a through ball from Lucas Moura in the 27th and cut inside two defenders but was denied by Evian goalkeeper Jesper Hansen. Lucas fed Cavani again in the 71st but Hansen stopped the powerful attempt from the Uruguay striker.

The hosts could have won the match in stoppage time. PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu tipped Evian substitute Nicolas Benezet's drive over the bar. From the subsequent corner, a block from David Luiz prevented Evian defender Jonathan Mensah from finding the net.

PSG was reduced to 10 men in the 63rd when Yohan Cabaye was sent off. The France midfielder was booked for a cynical foul on Evian forward Nicki Nielsen in the 17th before receiving a second yellow card for tripping substitute Fabien Camus.

"When you receive a red card, you usually lose," Sirigu told BeIn Sports television. "We don't concede any goal and we take one point, so it's positive."

PSG has five points from its first three league games while Evian earned its first point this season after losing its two previous games and conceding a total of nine goals.

On Saturday, it's: Guingamp vs. Marseille; Bastia vs. Toulouse; Lille vs. Lorient; Montpellier vs. Metz; Nice vs. Bordeaux; and Reims vs. Caen.

On Sunday, Monaco visits Nantes, Saint-Etienne hosts Rennes and Lyon faces Lens.