Angel di Maria opened his Paris Saint-Germain account in style as the Argentina star scored a stunning solo goal in the first half
Angel di Maria opened his account in style and Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up Edinson Cavani with a touch of brilliance for the other as Paris Saint-Germain begun their Champions League campaign with a comfortable win over Swedish side Malmo in Group A on Tuesday.
Di Maria, starting just his second game since joining from Manchester United, cut inside from the right in the fourth minute and steered the ball imperiously into the left corner.
Returning to the line-up after shaking off an abdominal injury, Ibrahimovic looked short on fitness and lacked his usual assurance in front of goal against the club where the Swede started his career in 1999.
Instead, he emphatically turned provider in the 61st minute, running onto a left-wing cross from Maxwell and acrobatically back-heeling the ball up to Cavani, who nodded down past goalkeeper Johan Wiland despite being off balance.
Malmo chose a defensive formation with three central defenders and five midfielders, but it backfired as PSG forced a corner straight away and scored on the next attack.
Italy midfielder Marco Verratti collected the ball and clipped a floating pass behind the left back to pick out Di Maria, who controlled it well with his right foot and then cut inside before expertly curling the ball into the opposite corner with his left.
Ibrahimovic missed two chances in quick succession as PSG overwhelmed Malmo's creaking defense.
First, he headed over when well placed in the 15th and two minutes later failed to properly test Wiland with a low shot after sprinting into the penalty area, although slightly wide on the right.
Di Maria looked far sharper and, in the 33rd minute, opened his left foot again to hit a curling effort just wide of the left post.
Malmo almost punished PSG a minute later when striker Nikola Djurdjic found space inside the area and drilled a low shot past the right post with goalkeeper Kevin Trapp beaten.
Ibrahimovic seemed desperate to score and, after debating for a few seconds with Di Maria as to who should take a free kick, curled it disappointingly over the crossbar in the 42nd.
Straight from the restart, Di Maria charged forward and switched the ball to Cavani on the left, but the pass was slightly behind the Uruguay striker, who scooped his shot way over.
Ibrahimovic then wasted another opportunity, hesitating with the ball at this feet on the edge of the area, and the far more dynamic Di Maria forced Wiland into a leaping save as PSG surged forward.
Having weathered serious pressure, Malmo began to push forward more and enjoyed a brief spell of possession around the PSG box. It was a brief respite and, after Maxwell had a shot saved, Ibrahimovic finally found some inspiration.
That spurred PSG on, and Wiland kept the score down when he palmed away another effort from Cavani moments later and then pushed a close-range header from David Luiz against the post.
After Di Maria went off to an ovation from the Parc des Princes crowd, substitute Ezequiel Lavezzi was denied by Wiland near the end.
Lavezzi then had a goal disallowed in injury time, with Cavani ruled to have strayed offside.
Uruguay forward Cavani falls to the floor following a challenge by Swedish centre-back Rasmus Bengtsson (left)
Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Kevin Trapp easily collects the ball during his side's victory over Swedish side Malmo
Returning to line-up after shaking off an injury, Ibrahimovic looked short on fitness and lacked his usual assurance in front of goal
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