Paris Saint-Germain squeezes into Champions League knockout round after dramatic group stage finale
PSG progresses into the Champions League round-of-16. Martin Meissner/AP CNN —
Paris Saint-Germain narrowly avoided elimination from the Champions League group stage after being held to a 1-1 draw by Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
The result would have seen the French champion dumped out of the competition had Newcastle beaten AC Milan in the other Group F match.
Fortunately for PSG, Newcastle squandered a 1-0 lead as the Italian outfit scored a late winner to secure a 2-1 victory on a rollercoaster night.
It meant Dortmund progressed into the next round as the group winner, with the French side joining it as runner-up. AC Milan dropped down into the Europa League after finishing third, as Newcastle’s European campaign ended in disappointment.
It could have been so different for PSG which, for much of the night, was heading out of the competition.
Newcastle had taken a first-half lead against the Rossoneri through Joelinton’s ferocious effort, piling the pressure on the Parisians to eke out a win.
PSG started the game in Dortmund well but was denied the lead through a mix of wastefulness and brilliant defending.
It was starman Kylian Mbappé who had the first real chance of the night. The Frenchman had rounded goalkeeper Gregor Kobel in the 17th minute but saw his goal-bound effort spectacularly cleared by defender Niklas Süle.
Bradley Barcola then hit the post before Randal Kolo Muani missed two glorious chances when through on goal.
Dortmund had chances as well in a frantic first half which somehow finished goalless.
Newcastle crashed out of Europe despite a spirited performance in this year’s Champions League. Molly Darlington/Reuters
That changed shortly after the restart, though, with Dortmund pouncing when PSG gave away possession close to its own goal. Karim Adeyemi was the man to steer the ball into the net in the 51st minute, a goal that pushed PSG to the brink of Champions League elimination.
But the host’s lead didn’t last long and PSG found an equalizer just five minutes later as 17-year-old Warren Zaïre-Emery smashed his effort past Kobel in goal.
The Parisians were then offered more good news as AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic scored an equalizer against Newcastle, a goal that put the French champion back into the driver’s seat.
During a rollercoaster finale in both games, Mbappé had a goal ruled out for offside and AC Milan completed a brilliant comeback when substitute Samuel Chukwueze netted a winner in the 84th minute.
It meant PSG, still bidding to win a maiden Champions League title, snatched the final qualification spot despite a less than convincing group stage campaign.
“It was important to qualify no matter what,” PSG defender Marquinhos said after the game, per Reuters.
“From now until the next round, we are going to have to prepare well and prepare better because big opponents will be on the way.”
PSG and Dortmund will discover their next opponent when the round-of-16 draw takes place on December 18.