PSG battle past 10-man Monaco to edge into Champions League last 16

PSG are into the last 16 of the Champions League
PSG are into the last 16 of the Champions LeagueFederico Pestellini / PsnewZ / Profimedia

UEFA Champions League (UCL) holders Paris Saint-Germain knocked out the only other Ligue 1 team remaining in the competition, reaching the last 16 for a 14th consecutive season despite only managing a 2-2 second-leg draw against 10-man AS Monaco.

Needing to successfully overturn a first-leg deficit away from home for the first time in a European knockout tie on the eighth attempt, Monaco started strongly and were inches away from squaring things up on aggregate inside 10 minutes.

Maghnes Akliouche brilliantly forged his way into the area and poked it inside for an arriving Mamadou Coulibaly, but the winger couldn’t control the bouncing ball and fired it over the bar.

Thilo Kehrer then glanced his header wide, with the visitors now looking good value to take the lead as they did in the first leg.

Match stats
Match statsOpta By StatsPerform

PSG started to improve after that, building up to a snapshot from Bradley Barcola, which hammered against the bar from a tight angle. But that was about all for the hosts’ promise in the first half, and they deservedly had their advantage vanquished just before the break.

Caio Henrique worked enough space on the left to send in a cross which was touched on by Coulibaly for Akliouche, who expertly passed beyond Matvey Safonov and in off the post.

But in similar fashion to the reverse leg, things began to go pear-shaped for Monaco after the break.

Provider of their goal, Coulibaly was shown a deserved second yellow card for a late challenge on Achraf Hakimi, and PSG immediately responded.

Désiré Doué was allowed to saunter along the byline from the right-hand side, where he played it across the face of goal for Marquinhos to tap in. 

Marquinhos celebrates his goal
Marquinhos celebrates his goalREUTERS / Sarah Meyssonnier

Hakimi then found himself in acres of space to rasp in a shot which was spilled by Philipp Köhn straight to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who fired in the rebound.

PSG looked to be playing the result out comfortably, but Simon Adingra’s cross in stoppage time found its way to Jordan Teze for the Dutchman to slot past Safonov.

There was too little time for Monaco to get another though, meaning their European journey nevertheless came to an end.

PSG celebrate their win after the match
PSG celebrate their win after the matchREUTERS / Sarah Meyssonnier

The victory in the tie places PSG in the UCL round of 16 once again, but their having to come from behind against 10 men in both legs raises questions around their eligibility for back-to-back titles.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain)

Catch up on the match stats here.