Manchester City will take an away goals advantage into the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal encounter with Paris Saint-Germain. They earned an exciting 2-2 draw away at the Parc des Princes in the first leg on Wednesday, in a match that was considerably more entertaining than it was refined.
3 things we learned from Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City
PSG and Manchester City played out a thoroughly entertaining draw at the Parc des Princes.
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
The game got off to a pulsating start, with City looking to seize control and put the hosts on the back foot in the first few minutes. But their possession merely served to expose their defensive flaws, and PSG could've easily had a penalty when Blaise Matuidi appeared to have been barged over by Eliaquim Mangala on the counter-attack. Fortunately for City, the referee didn't agree.
However, it took less than a quarter of an hour for PSG to earn another penalty appeal, and this time the official duly pointed to the spot. Bacary Sagna clattered into David Luiz in the area, though an excellent save by Joe Hart denied Zlatan Ibrahimović's low drive from 12 yards.
It didn’t appear to be the Swedish striker’s day: 10 minutes later a cheap giveaway by City center back Nicolás Otamendi allowed Ibra to run clean through on goal, but he managed to sky the ball over the crossbar from inside the area. City must have been thanking their lucky stars.
PSG continued to crank up the pressure, though they failed to create another clear-cut chance. Eventually they were punished for their profligacy, with Kevin De Bruyne lashing a Fernandinho pass beyond Kevin Trapp and into the back of the net to give City the lead with just over five minutes of the half remaining.
But unfortunately for Manuel Pellegrini, his defenders were as charitable as Zlatan's finishing, and their lead lasted just three minutes. PSG's equalizer came courtesy of an utterly calamitous error by Fernando, who was caught dawdling on a short Hart goal kick by Ibrahimović, who effectively tackled the ball into City's empty goal.
The second half was no less breathless than the first, with half-chances appearing at both ends of the pitch. However, when the deadlock was eventually broken, it was from a set piece. Adrien Rabiot tapped the hosts in front from point-blank range just short of the hour, after Edinson Cavani was denied on an Ángel Di María corner by Hart.
To their credit, City didn’t panic. Instead they steadily upped the pressure and, true to form, PSG presented them with an equalizer inside the final 20 minutes. Some terrible defending from Serge Aurier and Thiago Silva allowed Fernandinho to smash the ball against the stranded Parisian defenders before hitting the back of the net, with the Premier League outfit claiming their second away goal of the evening.
Despite both managers subsequently turning to their substitutes’ benches, that was how the game ended. We’re certainly in for an exciting second leg in just six days time.
Paris Saint-Germain: Kevin Trapp; Maxwell, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Serge Aurier (Gregory van der Wiel 78’); Blaise Matuidi, Thiago Motta, Adrien Rabiot (Lucas Moura 78’); Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Ángel Di María.
Goals: Ibrahimović (41’), Rabiot (59’).
Manchester City: Joe Hart; Gaël Clichy, Eliaquim Mangala, Nicolás Otamendi, Bacary Sagna; Fernandinho, Fernando; David Silva (Wilfried Bony 88'), Kevin De Bruyne (Fabian Delph 77'), Jesús Navas; Sergio Agüero (Aleksandar Kolarov 90+3').
Goals: De Bruyne (38’), Fernandinho (72’).
3 Things
1. Errors were the order of the day
Suffice to say, whoever wins this tie will have to be much improved to stand any chance against the other teams left in the hat. It was a game characterized above all else by a remarkable number of errors of an equally remarkable variety. It was epitomized rather well by the hilarious circumstances of Zlatan’s first-half strike, presented to him on a silver platter by a terrible Fernando mistake. It made for great viewing, but certainly not great quality.
2. Laurent Blanc still hasn’t answered the Cavani question
Aside from the selection of Aurier for the first time since he was handed an internal suspension in February, the other big decision by PSG coach Blanc was to choose Cavani over Lucas Moura in attack. Omitting a pacy natural winger in favor of a fairly limited center forward was an odd decision against a team that vacated so much space in the fullback areas, and one he should rectify for the return fixture in Manchester. Otherwise, Blanc is only stunting his side’s chances on the counter.
3. City could capitalize on PSG suspensions
PSG will head into the second leg without two of their most important first-teamers in Matuidi and David Luiz. Matuidi will be a particularly big miss, with the French international adding a dynamism and mobility to a midfield that can otherwise be short on it. It certainly boosts City’s chance of winning the midfield battle at the Etihad in the second leg.
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