Another Champions League encounter and the first leg of these two attacking sides who are hoping on their maiden trophy. Both have come close in recent years but always come short. One would go through and the other would wait for another year.
PSG hosted Manchester City and City took the step in the right direction with a first-leg advantage after weathering the storm and having two away goals in Paris. PSG had a good first half but the second half would be airbrushed from their memories, hopefully as it was a night to forget for them but they have the chance to right their wrongs for the second leg if City allows.
Neymar had a brilliant shot blocked for a corner kick after a brilliant exchange with Verratti inside the box in the 12th minute.
PSG took the lead in the 15th minute when Captain Marquinhos headed home from a brilliant corner kick delivery by Di Maria. The goalkeeper stayed rooted on the spot and couldn't have prevented it.
In the 20th minute, Bernado Silva received a long pass in the box. He timed his run well and almost caught Navas off-guard. Navas reacted brilliantly and blocked his near post to keep the ball out and for a corner kick.
It should have been 2-0 in the 28th minute when Neymar delivered a corner kick into the box but Parades header after his contact with the ball sent it wide. If he had steered his header well, he might have squeezed it in via the top near post.
Navas gave the ball away in the 31st minute and City gathered it. A delivery into the box was matched with a lovely header that was destined to find the back of the net if not for the intervention of Parades who cleared it, much to the relief of Navas.
Shortly after, PSG came close after bombarding the box of City but they managed to clear it. PSG played with high intensity as they recovered the ball well, pressed high, passed well and also attack with swiftness. City are also deadly on the break and good with the ball but they were struggling to break PSG at the back while losing the midfield.
There was a penalty shout for PSG in the 41st minute after Neymar went down in the box. The penalty wasn't given as there was nothing to it. Not long after, Bernado Silva found Foden inside the box and with the post staring at him, he went for power rather than placement and he shot straight at Navas who pushed the ball away from the threat. On his days, Foden would have scored that with ease. A huge let-off for PSG.
The first half ended and it was an entertaining half with both teams having chances but only one took it.
Mbappe was found from long range and he raced clear on to the box in the 55th minute. He twisted and turned before releasing a low drive ball into the box. No one was in sight to bundle it home but it went out for a corner kick off Kyle Walker. Verratti missed by just a margin.
Ederson brilliantly nullified another attack that developed in the 59th minute when he came out to clear it away. A minute after, De Bruyne had an overhead kick in the box that went over. The ball perfectly fell to him but he was unable to keep his effort down.
City came close again in the 64th minute when Mahrez fed the run of Walker. His ball into the box was bundled away by Marquinhos. The resulting corner was taken short. The ball came to De Bruyne who hoped on catching Foden at the edge of the box. His brilliant ball found its way into the back of the net without any contact. Navas made a mess of that because he didn't move at all. City levelled, 1-1 and they got the all-important away goal.
PSG bottled their lead in the 71st minute when Foden drew a foul at the edge of the box. De Bruyne stood over it but the plan was for Mahrez to take it. This completely caught PSG off guard and Mahrez brilliantly found the back of the net to give his side a 2-1.
Foden came close in the 75th minute when his flicked header inside the box was saved comfortably by Navas. PSG has dropped off and stopped playing with the intensity they played the first half with, making City come back to take the lead. PSG's woe was compounded in the 77th minute when Idrissa Gueye's clumsy challenge brought down Gundogan. The referee had no choice but to give a red card to the tackle from behind.
PSG moved from being 1 goal up to being behind and also being a man down.
Mahrez attempted another lovely strike at the edge of the box that missed by a tiny margin in the 83rd minute. Foden came close too in the 87th minute after he waltzed his way into the box but he couldn't get a clean strike with his sidefooted effort due to the defenders who closed him down. It was brilliant of him to attempt it from that tight place.
The game ended 2-1 in favour of City who only turned the game around in 45 minutes. Paris has a mountain to climb for the second leg. The second legs would be interesting between Chelsea and Real Madrid and also City v PSG. Nothing is ever certain in football.
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