Ibrahimovic makes mark on PSG debut

Ibrahimovic makes mark on PSG debut

Published Jul. 29, 2012 11:37 a.m. ET

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored in the third minute in his first game with Paris Saint-Germain to help the French club tie D.C. United 1-1 in exhibition play Saturday night.

Dwayne De Rosario tied it with a first-half penalty kick for D.C. United.

Ibrahimovic, who accepted a transfer from AC Milan and signed a three-year deal with PSG on July 18, reached Jeremy Menez's pass, cut back across United defender Daniel Woolard and drove a low, left-footed shot into the bottom left corner.

De Rosario leveled it in the 33rd minute after Woolard drew a penalty kick when his curling cross struck the extended arm of Milan Bisevac. The goal came 11 minutes after the game resumed following a 45-minute delay for severe weather.

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Paris Saint-Germain was coming off a 1-1 tie with Chelsea on Sunday at Yankee Stadium.

Ibrahimovic thinks Paris St Germain will have a more successful season
than his former club AC Milan.

Thiago Silva and Ibrahimovic made the switch from Serie A to Ligue 1 in the
summer and the Rossoneri have yet to replace the duo.

"We will have a better team than Milan this season, for sure," he said. "Why? Because Milan have lost its two best players.''

The Swede added: "On my goal, I moved to find the right space and I hit the left.

"I'm still in preparation, I'm not 100% but I work to find an optimal shape. Playing those games will help me get there."

Ancelotti was satisfied with his side's display, believing they did enough to emerge victorious.

"We played well and deserved to win," he said. "The weather conditions made it something of a strange game. We were also up against a side who were in perfect physical condition. We did a lot of running and that's a very good thing in terms of our preparation for the new season.

"July has been a very good month for the team and I think the next 10 days will be too! We will be ready for the start of the championship. Zlatan made a fantastic start to the match with a very good goal too."

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