A 98th-minute Kylian Mbappe penalty earned Paris Saint-Germain a 1-1 Champions League draw with Newcastle United on Tuesday that retains the French membership able to qualify for the final 16 and leaves their opponents in critical hazard of a group-stage exit.
It regarded as if Newcastle — who received 4-1 when the edges met at St James’ Park final month — had been going to go away Paris with all three factors within the Group F encounter because of Alexander Isak’s Twenty fifth-minute opener.
PSG
PSG had run out of concepts by the point they had been gifted a chance to salvage a attract damage time when the VAR determined a Tino Livramento handball within the field was worthy of a penalty.
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Mbappe made no mistake, and PSG maintain onto second place within the group behind Borussia Dortmund, who received 3-1 away to AC Milan and are by way of to the final 16.
The French champions will be part of them with a win in Dortmund of their closing group recreation, whereas Newcastle now should win at dwelling to Milan and hope PSG slip up.
“I feel it is a poor decision,” Newcastle supervisor Eddie Howe stated of the penalty.
“It is hugely frustrating for us because at that moment you know how little time there is left in the game, but there is nothing we can do about it now.”
Howe’s aspect would have been out with a defeat, so not less than they continue to be in competition, whereas avoiding a 3rd defeat in 5 group video games permits PSG to carry off the specter of a primary elimination from the Champions League earlier than the final 16 within the Qatar period.
“We should have won, without a doubt. I think it was a very complete performance from us,” stated PSG coach Luis Enrique.
“We were better than Newcastle but that’s football,” he added earlier than claiming he had not seen the essential penalty incident.
“I don’t dedicate myself to looking at VAR decisions. I am only dedicated to improving my team.”
ALSO READ: Eddie Howe eyes redemption as Newcastle faces PSG
PSG have frequently struggled to impress within the Champions League within the final decade, however by no means as a lot as this season, and Mbappe’s late purpose — his seventeenth of the season — obtained them out of jail.
Mbappe, carrying the captain’s armband with Marquinhos lacking, usually struggled to impression the sport as he discovered himself squashed in between Newcastle defenders Kieran Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles.
The guests set as much as thwart the hosts and the tactic principally labored, not less than after PSG nearly went in entrance inside 9 minutes.
Achraf Hakimi linked up with Randal Kolo Muani down the Paris proper earlier than driving into the field and delivering a low centre for Mbappe, whose backheeled try was saved by Nick Pope.
Isak opens scoring
PSG weren’t helped by one other shaky efficiency from their Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, which has turn into a worrying pattern.
ALSO READ: Newcastle faces uphill battle against PSG
It was his poor go out which led to Hakimi shedding possession within the twelfth minute, permitting Miguel Almiron to cross for Isak to fireplace over in a primary warning.
The Premier League aspect then went in entrance when Livramento ran unchallenged throughout the sting of the field to arrange Almiron for a shot that Donnarumma may solely parry out to the ft of the grateful Isak.
Newcastle then served a reminder of why they boasted the joint-best defence in England final season alongside champions Manchester City, as they sat again and denied Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Kolo Muani the area they crave.
But PSG additionally squandered possibilities, with Mbappe establishing Dembele for a shot that was blocked in first-half stoppage time, whereas the latter was denied by Pope diving at his ft shortly after the restart.
Pope made an excellent cease within the 66th minute to disclaim substitute Bradley Barcola after he was arrange by Mbappe.
PSG then appealed furiously for a penalty when Hakimi was knocked off steadiness by Anthony Gordon, however a VAR test concluded there was nothing price a spot-kick, and a declare for handball against teenager Lewis Miley moments later was additionally dismissed.
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Pope saved once more from Mbappe within the 87th minute, however Newcastle’s resistance was lastly undone when the Polish VAR official known as referee Szymon Marciniak throughout to the monitor to evaluate a potential handball by Livramento.
The award was harsh, however Mbappe snapped up the prospect to equalise.
© Agence France-Presse
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