Layvin Kurzawa scored a second-half winner as four-time reigning French champions Paris Saint-Germain began the defense of its Ligue 1 crown with an unconvincing 1-0 victory at Bastia Friday. Unai Emery's side demolished Lyon 4-1 last weekend in the Champions Trophy, but PSG was forced to wait until the 73rd minute at the Stade Armand Cesari before Kurzawa volleyed home the decisive goal. "It wasn't the match I'd hoped for, but the players had warned me of what it would be like to face Bastia," said Emery. "We didn't play like we did against Lyon but it was a different game. It was a bit like the friendly against West Brom, a very defensive team who play on the counter-attack." He added: "We were a bit more aggressive (in the second half). We had four, five, six chances ... but you have to score, and it's always difficult getting the first goal." After finishing an incredible 31 points clear at the top last season, Paris is the early league leader in France as Monaco rallied from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home to Guingamp in its opening game of the campaign. Hatem Ben Arfa was the only one of five close-season signings named in PSG's starting line-up in Corsica, with Jese Rodriguez and Thomas Meunier both named on the bench and Grzegorz Krychowiak left out altogether after playing for Poland at Euro 2016. PSG was also again without captain Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani through injury, while Adrien Rabiot replaced Benjamin Stambouli in midfield with the latter reportedly on his way out of the club.
