PARIS SAINT GERMAIN 2, MANCHESTER CITY 2
Manchester City survived a roller coaster ride on the night at Paris St Germain with the French side having a penalty saved by Joe Hart, making a hash of a tap-in, and hitting the woodwork before they were handed two goals thanks to defensive howlers by City.
Mistakes by Fernando and Fernandinho allowed Adrien Rabiot, who spent a few months at City as a youngster in 2008, to give Paris the lead in the second half after Ibrahimovic had capitalised on a panicked attempt to clear the ball by Fernando shortly before half time.
Ibrahimovic and Rabiot’s goals were bookended by a quality Kevin De Bruyne opening goal and a deflected equaliser by Fernandinho on a crazy night in Paris.
City had initially attacked from the off with De Bruyne partnering Sergio Aguero in a daring 4-4-2 formation and the risky tactic contributed to an exciting first half which had chances for both sides although the French took full advantage of the space afforded by City’s porous midfield to dominate possession.
Eliaquim Mangala escaped a penalty claim after tangling with Blaise Matuidi after Edinson Cavani tried to find the French midfielder but the French side were awarded a penalty minutes later.
Joe Hart was City’s hero in the first half after Bacary Sagna was harshly adjudged to have felled David Luiz in the area after just a quarter of an hour.
Hart saved the resulting penalty by Zlatan Ibrahimovic by diving to his right to push away the Swedish striker’s spot kick – it was his sixth spot kick save in 11 games for club and country.
Hart’s save may have kept City level but they were amazingly ahead after 38 minutes when Fernandinho intercepted the ball in midfield, drove forward, and found De Bruyne in space despite a clumsy attempt to challenge the Belgian by Luiz.
De Bruyne’s rifled shot went past Kevin Trapp towards the end of a breathless first half but City barely had time to celebrate before they were pegged back by the French.
Fernando’s mistake allowed PSG to level matters just two minutes later, however, when he seemed to be taken by surprise by a lurking Ibrahimovic whose block tackle deflected the Brazilian’s attempted clearance past Hart for the softest of equalisers.
And PSG could have been 2-1 up before the break when Matuidi was sent clear by Angel Di Maria but made a hash of his attempt to cross for Cavani to have an easy tap-in.
The French side pushed for another goal from the restart in the second half and got their reward from a set piece when Cavani’s flicked header fell to Adrien Rabiot after Joe Hart had pushed the ball away.
Fernandinho fell asleep to give the former City youngster Rabiot the space to give Paris the lead in the 59th minute.
Ibrahimovic made space for himself but saw his looping header come back off the crossbar as City continued to thank their lucky stars.
But City were level again after 72 minutes when Bacary Sagna’s cross came off Serge Aurier and Fernandinho’s resulting shot came off Thiago Silva and past Trapp for an unlikely equaliser as the Brazilian atoned for his earlier error.
With two away goals and the tie on a knife edge, City will hope that Paris St Germain will miss Luiz and Matuidi, who sustained bookings on the night and will be suspended, when the French team visit the Etihad next week.