Paris, Nov 7 (IANS) Paris Saint-Germain suffered a heart-breaking 2-1 loss to Spanish side Atletico de Madrid in Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League.
The loss extended PSG’s winless run in the Champions League to three games.
Warren Zaire-Emery had given the hosts a 14th minute lead, only for Nahuel Molina to equalise four minutes later and Angel Correa to net the winner with the last kick of the game.
PSG set the tone from the outset, pressing high up the pitch and breaking forward at speed at every opportunity. After a first shot across the bow from Achraf Hakimi, the Parisians went ahead just before the quarter-hour mark. Ousmane Dembele robbed Clement Lenglet at the top of the box and played in Warren Zaire-Emery who chipped a subtle right-foot shot beyond Jan Oblak.
However, the celebrations inside the Parc des Princes were cut short when Nahuel Molina appeared to control the ball with his arm before firing home an equaliser against the run of play.
Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi stretched the opposition defence to free up space for Vitinha, Warren Zaire-Emery and Marco Asensio, dropping into midfield. But Atleti’s defence held firm as both teams went into the break level at one-all.
The second half began in similar fashion with Paris on top, dominating possession and territory. Moroccan full-back Hakimi tried to catch Oblak out at the near post, before Dembele saw his follow up shot hit the side netting. A few minutes later, it was Bradley Barcola’s turn to break through the Colchoneros rearguard, but again, Oblak was on hand to keep his side level.
PSG captain Marquinhos, making his 200th appearance with the armband, searched for a winner. The skipper saw his header saved (73′), before Hakimi was again denied (77’). Paris threw everything they had into the battle, but luck was not on their side this evening. And with the last kick of the game, Angel Correa gave the Spanish side the lead against the run of play.
–IANS
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