A gift from Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen and two late goals from Khvycha Kvaratskhelia gave title holders Paris Saint-Germain a thrilling 5-2 win over the English side in a thrilling Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday.
Chelsea look set to return to London for next week’s second leg with a draw and perhaps prevail in the tie, after they twice came from behind in the first hour at the Parc des Princes.
Malo Gusto canceled out Bradley Barkola’s early opener for PSG and Enzo Fernandes made it 2-2 after a brilliant Ousmane Dembele finish pulled the hosts back just before the interval.
However, a careless Jorgensen pass was intercepted, allowing Vitinha to score PSG’s third goal on 74 minutes with a delightful lob, and substitute Kvaratskhelia scored the hosts’ excellent fourth four minutes from time.
As if that wasn’t enough, Kvaratshelia scored again to seemingly leave the reigning European champions with one foot in the quarter-finals ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday.
The tie may not be over, but the result gives PSG revenge in the teams’ first meeting since Chelsea beat a tired French side 3-0 in last July’s Club World Cup final.
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Nine players from Chelsea’s starting XI lined up at kick-off that day, apart from Jorgensen — preferred here to Robert Sanchez — and defender Wesley Fofana.
They have a different coach now, of course, with Liam Rosenier succeeding Enzo Maresca in the dugout in January.
The game saw him return to France, where he spent 18 months doing well at Strasbourg, a club belonging to the same Bluco consortium that owns Chelsea.
Their start in west London has been promising enough, but an exit from Europe will now be hard to avoid, especially as PSG seem to have regained their appetite here after some patchy performances in recent weeks.
Luis Enrique’s side, who won three knockout ties against Premier League sides en route to European glory last year, have struggled to rediscover their form from last season with that marathon campaign taking its toll.
Goalkeeping errors
Ballon d’Or winner Dembele started here for just the 15th time in PSG’s 41 games this term. He had played 90 minutes just four times before Wednesday.
They come into this game with just two wins from seven in Europe and are just one point ahead of Lens at the top of Ligue 1 and the French Cup.
Yet they came flying out of the blocks, going ahead on 10 minutes when Neves nodded the ball to Barcola, who controlled before firing under the crossbar for his first Champions League goal in a year.
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The champions were in the mood when Jorgensen Dembele deflected an effort onto the post and Barcola curled wide, but there’s a feeling their decision to sell Gianluigi Donnarumma could cost them.
Matfei Safonov has been the first-choice goalkeeper lately and he missed Chelsea’s first equalizer before the half-hour mark.
Fernandez found Gusto in a brilliant break down the Chelsea right and the Frenchman scored with a full-back shot that Safonov really had to keep out.
The Russian redeemed himself on 39 minutes by parrying a Cole Palmer shot 14 seconds before Dembele made it 2-1.
He was released by Desire Dou, ran through the goal and feinted one way then the other before scoring with a deflected shot from Fofana.
His 12th goal of the season separated the sides at half-time, but Chelsea hit back to equalize as the hour approached.
Pedro Neto darted down the left and cut the ball to an unmarked Fernandes to fire home first time.
Chelsea then collapsed, Barkola intercepting Jorgensen’s pass and Vitinha finishing in style, before Kvaratskelia’s brilliant solo effort and a late finish assisted by Achraf Hakimi made it a night to remember for the hosts.
(With FRANCE 24 AFP)
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