PARIS (AP):

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored two second-half goals yesterday to give leader Paris Saint-Germain a 2-1 victory over Nancy in the French league despite another mediocre performance against weaker opposition.

PSG looked in danger of losing a third game against a team fighting relegation in the span of three weeks when Nancy winger Benjamin Moukandjo opened the scoring with a header in the 36th minute.

But Ibrahimovic equalised in the 59th before chasing a long ball from Marco Verratti to net the winner in the 62nd. Former England captain David Beckham was again on the bench for PSG, but came on for Verratti in the 73rd.

"Those are not easy matches. We must play them with the right attitude," PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu said. "The first half reminded me of what we went through in Reims. Fortunately, we reacted well in the second half."

PSG lost to Sochaux in February and to Reims last weekend.

The Parisian club now has a provisional five-point lead over Lyon, who host third-place Marseille today.

PSG dominated the first half but failed to convert their chances. Blaise Matuidi beat the offside trap in the 12th to collect a through ball from Lucas Moura, but the PSG midfielder fired wide with just the keeper to beat.

Lucas was then played in by Ibrahimovic in the 42nd, but the Brazilian winger shot straight in Nancy goalkeeper Damien Gregorini's face.

Nancy sent a warning in the 27th when left back Yassine Djebbour cut inside to fire a curling shot that Sirigu diverted on to the post.

The visitors then capitalised on a turnover in the 36th. Djamel Bakar intercepted a pass from PSG playmaker Javier Pastore to feed Moukandjo, whose low strike was saved by Sirigu, but he pounced on the rebound to head home.

Pastore's mistake did not go unnoticed as PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti replaced him with Jeremy Menez at half-time. Ibrahimovic was clean through on goal in the 48th but Gregorini palmed away the Sweden striker's chip.