Man City in driving seat – PSG under pressure

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PARIS, April 29, (AP): Paris Saint-Germain lost their composure and the match as Manchester City rallied to win 2-1 away from home in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal. PSG led 1-0 through captain Marquinhos’ early header from a corner, but City skipper Kevin De Bruyne equalized in the 64th minute when goalkeeper Keylor Navas misread his dipping cross and it bounced inside his post. Riyad Mahrez’s free kick – through a wall that jumped early and left an inviting gap for the Algeria winger – put the visitors ahead in the 71st. “We deserved the lead, but in the second half they were better than us. Physically they were a little bit more aggressive, it was difficult for us to recover the ball,” PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “We’re very disappointed with the two goals. It’s difficult to accept that this happened in the semifinal, it’s really painful.” After City’s quick 1-2 punch, PSG’s composure soon crumbled, as has often been the case in recent seasons when under pressure.

Pochettino’s side finished the game with 10 players as midfielder Idrissa Gueye was shown a red card in the 77th minute for a dangerous tackle on midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. City could have taken a bigger lead into the return leg next Tuesday, but winger Phil Foden shot straight at Navas after a brilliant jinking run through PSG’s fl agging defense. “In football you need to believe,” Pochettino said. “Of course we are under a little bit of pressure, but in football you need to try.” City coach Pep Guardiola wants his players to stay relaxed for the return leg, rather than thinking about reaching the final for the first time in the club’s history.

City made a bright start, stretching PSG with their quick passing and imposing themselves in midfield with some hefty challenges. But PSG had the first sights on goal and, after Neymar went close, Marquinhos timed his run well to meet Angel Di Maria’s corner near the front post and head in the 15th-minute opener. It was another important goal from the Brazilian, after netting a last-gasp equalizer in the quarterfinals and then scoring in the semis last season. Di Maria was causing problems for City’s defense with his runs from the right flank, while both Neymar and Marco Verratti were opening City up with their passing. With City now playing on the break, Foden wasted a good chance near the break when he shot straight at Navas from just inside the penalty area, after being set up by Bernardo Silva’s pass from the right.

PSG threatened early in the second half, when Di Maria’s superb pass over the midfield put Kylian Mbappe into space down the right. He twisted inside and out, putting two City defenders on the fl oor, but his fizzing cross was too strong and eluded his teammates. De Bruyne set up City’s late winner in the League Cup final last Sunday and again took time to exert his infl uence after a brief spell out injured. The Belgium star went close with a shot on the turn that went just over on the hour mark.

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