PSG 4-2 Manchester City: Lifeless City limp to horror defeat in Paris

PSG came back from 2-0 down to defeat Manchester City and keep their Champions League campaign alive at the Parc de Princes.

After having an Achraf Hakimi goal disallowed at the end of the half, the home fans watched on in dismay as Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland gave City a two-goal lead in the opening 10 minutes of the second half.

But they turned the tie around with haste. Ousmane Dembélé equalised three minutes after the second goal and Bradley Barcola had equalised by the hour mark.

With 20 minutes left to play, PSG took the lead for the first time with João Neves firing a diving header into the back of the net, and right at the end, Gonçalo Ramos rounded out the victory with a terrific finish into the top corner.  

As it happened

Games don’t get much more important than this. With both sides’ fates in the Champions League hanging by a thread, PSG and Manchester City went into their clash at the Parc de Princes with one acceptable result: three points.

The stakes were clear throughout the first half; it was cagey. City looked frantic in and out of possession, PSG much more calculated in their defensive organisation.

Chances were relatively scarce. Désiré Doué was first to test a goalkeeper, firing an effort down Ederson’s throat in the fifth minute. Kevin De Bruyne would follow eight minutes later with a scuffed strike pushed away by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Hakimi and Haaland would both be denied by shots far too central to cause any real danger.

It wasn’t until the 45^th minute that the ball would hit the back of the net. Nuno Mendes was released down the line and crossed the ball to the back post, Barcola waiting to meet it. Instead of shooting, he laid the ball off for Hakimi to shoot. Ederson had already unbalanced himself, so when the shot came, he was had no chance to stop it.

As the Moroccan wheeled away in celebration, there was no indication that the goal wouldn’t stand – so there was some surprise when the semi-automated offside flagged Mendes’ run as early. It cannot be stressed how fine this margin was; less than a hair’s breadth of his left knee had strayed a tad too far. It was the tightest offside call you could imagine.

The second half arrived with changes for both teams – notably, Grealish and Dembélé entered the fray, both Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique eager for a refresh.

That eagerness translated to goals. Quickly.

Five minutes into the half, Grealish was first to strike; Bernardo Silva’s shot in the box was saved by Donnarumma, pushed into Marquinhos, deflected back into the goalkeeper and then into the area again. Waiting in the danger zone was City’s number 10, an open goal and a bouncing ball all that stood between him and the opening goal – and he made no mistake.

Not content with just a slim lead, they’d double up not three minutes later. Grealish was involved again, played down the left before crossing into the area. The ball spun off Vitinha and into the path of the perfect man for the job. Practically on the goal line, Haaland had no issues slotting home to double the advantage.

But then, everything changed. Three minutes was once again the difference between that goal and the next, and this one was not scored by a City man.

A substitute had scored for the visitors, and another would do the same for the hosts. Barcola made mincemeat of Matheus Nunes on the wing and sprinted into the box. No one caught him; no one picked up Dembélé in the middle. One pullback later, the ball was at the feet of the substitute and then the back of the net. PSG were within one – and even that wouldn’t last long.

On the hour mark, the score was levelled. Doué had created just enough space for himself to curl an effort onto the crossbar from just outside the area. Ederson dived, City’s defence planted their heels: Barcola was on his toes. When the ball bounced back into the area, the winger couldn’t ask for a simpler finish. The ball kissed the post on the way in, PSG level again.

Ten minutes of football had yielded four goals. PSG might’ve scored again in the 70^th minute, too, with Dembélé sliding the ball through Silva’s legs before cannoning an effort off the crossbar.

Scoreline parity flattered City. After going two to the good, they’d hardly touched the ball, Guardiola’s side looking lost at sea.

No surprises, then, that the hosts would complete the comeback eventually. On 79 minutes, they won a free kick 30 yards from goal. Vitinham stood over it with a cross the only option, and the delivery was perfect. It flew to the far post, Neves waiting with acres of space all around him. He dived to meet the ball and powered a header into the near post. PSG were finally in front, their lead the least their performance deserved.

City didn’t even fight back. Right at the end, the scoreline was widened; Ramos raced onto a wayward Joško Gvardiol pass and slotted a cool finish into the top corner. PSG had won with panache to boot.

It’s the perfect result for the hosts. They move up to 22^nd in the Champions League, a play-off tie now in their hands.

City’s situation looks a great deal bleaker. No one could’ve predicted this at the start of the season, but they now sit outside the top 24, victory in their final game against Club Brugge an absolute necessity if they’re to even stand a chance of reaching the round of 16.

They may have turned their form around. They may have splashed the cash in the transfer market. But for Manchester City, their utterly absurd season is showing no signs of calming down.

The lineups

PSG: Donnarumma; Mendes, Pacho, Marquinhos, Hakimi; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Doué, Lee, Barcola

MCI: Ederson; Gvardiol, Dias, Akanji, Nunes; Kovačić, Silva; Savinho, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland