Paris Saint-Germain 2 Chelsea 1
Zlatan 39, Mikel 45+1, Cavani 78
Early on the energetic midfielder Verratti was playing very high, closing down ferociously.
Overall, PSG were far too lively for Chelsea and looked like scoring first.
But then, when Baba crossed from the left, Diego Costa headed the ball at shoulder height and German keeper Kevin Trapp stuck out his right hand to save. What a chance!
When Mikel stupidly clipped Lucas Moura, Zlatan fired a low free-kick which deflected off the shin of Mikel, wrong-footing Courtois for 1-0.
Mikel turned his back on the free-kick in Chelsea’s most important game of the season!
Then Chelsea got back into the contest in first half stoppage time.
Willian took a corner, Diego Costa did very well to flick on, and Mikel controlled the ball sweetly in his left thigh and banged it in with his right boot from five yards.
But Chelsea were lucky to go in level half time.
For most of those 46 minutes they’d been outplayed by a very athletic team.
Before kick-off I’d tweeted that Chelsea needed an away goal. That was obvious before the game, a standard requirement in this sort of match.
What would the second half bring? Would it be 2-1 or 3-1?
In 53, Zlatan pulled away from Ivanovic and banged his shot against Courtois, earning a corner.
PSG were swarming all over Chelsea, really testing their defensive resources, and Pedro got booked for a high boot into the body of Verratti.
Then Lucas Moura played a one-two and produced a fine shot that was saved. By then I’m thinking: It’s a miracle if Chelsea get out of here with a draw.
Courtois then saved a Di Maria free-kick that was too low to beat him.
Oscar replaced the intermittent Hazard in 71 to give Chelsea enough energy to stay in the game.
Five minutes later Fabregas took a free-kick quickly and found the run of Oscar into the box but the ball was a fraction too far from Oscar’s boot.
Sub Cavani replaced Lucas and very soon spun away from Ivanovic onto a pass from Zlatan and nutmegged Courtois with a perfect shot to make it 2-1.
An exceptional goal. When Cavani’ s good, he’s very powerful and incisive, as here.
The reaction and positioning of Courtois was excellent and the shot that beat him was the only one that could have found the net from that angle.
Then Blanc brought on skill to replace his engine room : Rabiot came on for Verrati, Pastore for Matuidi.
The tenacious Azpilicueta had a phenomenal game at right back.
Is there a better right back in Europe?
Hiddink knew he needed the pace of Baba at left back and when the kid raced away from Lucas Moura, the winger pulled his arm and got booked. The strategic foul we see too often.
This performance was evidence that the PSG squad is improving every year in the Champions League.
Their core of athletic Brazilians provide the basis of an attractive style that has gradually become more resilient under the management of Laurent Blanc.
VERDICT : A fascinating game of competitive football. Not a Group game for mini-league points, a European Cup game.
Let’s hope every game in the Round of 16 is as close and interesting as this one.
PSG have never won in 6 Champions League games in England.
But they don’t have to win at Stamford Bridge. A draw will do.
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