TEN-MAN PSG SEAL TOP SPOT

 

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After missing their chance to clinch top spot when they drew 1-1 in Anderlecht on Matchday 4, Paris Saint-Germain made the most of their opportunity at home to Olympiacos on Wednesday night, clinching a 2-1 win to secure top spot in Group C with a match left to play and extend their unbeaten Champions League run to 13 matches (35 in all competitions).

It wasn't without its nervy moments, however, with Marco Verratti's send-off for a second yellow (47') paving the way for Kostas Manolas (80') to cancel out Zlatan Ibrahimovic's early opener (7'), but Laurent Blanc's men dug deep and Uruguay star Edinson Cavani came up with the goods in the final minute to clinch a dramatic but deserved win (90').

Zlatan leads the charge

Scoring an early opener was a fitting way for Ibrahimovic to celebrate his 100th appearance in Europe's top club competition, the Swedish superstar coolly turning home Gregory van der Wiel's low cross at the near post after Cavani had played the Netherlands international into space down the right (7').

An ideal start and Paris looked the goods to turn their early advantage into a rout as they snaffled up 75 per cent of possession in the first half, with 327 successful passes compared to 79 for the visitors, who seemed hesitant in implementing the pressing game that caused Paris so many problems in their first clash on Matchday 1.

Change of plans

But when Verratti saw red for a second bookable offence after dragging Spaniard David Fuster down by his shirt just two minutes into the second term, Blanc had to change his plans, bringing Adrien Rabiot at the expense of Ezequiel Lavezzi.

In a re-jigged 4-4-1 formation, Paris still managed to have the better of the chances, with Ibrahimovic testing Olympiacos 'keeper Roberto Jimenez with a powerfully hit free-kick from 25 metres out (51) and then firing just over (60') before the excellent Thiago Motta set up Rabiot for a stinging long-range shot that Jimenez had to dive full-stretch to get a hand to (72').

Equaliser

However, Paris were almost made to pay for their missed chances as Manolas - with Olympiacos's only shot on a target for the whole match - blasted home from close range after Salvatore Sirigu had done well to save Alejandro Dominguez's initial effort (80').

Even though a draw was enough for PSG to qualify - possibly even in top spot if other results were to go their way - there was an air of revolt among the Parisians after the equaliser and in the final minute, despite their numerical disadvantage, Blanc's men proved they have the steel to match their massive price tags.

Pay-off

Set up by a deft through-pass from €32m Brazil stopper Marquinhos, in an unfamiliar midfield role after being subbed on for Ibrahimovic two minute before Manolas's goal, €64m Cavani showed all the instincts that have earned him the Spanish sobriquet El Matador (The Killer) as he fended off his man before unleashing a powerful yet precise strike past Jimenez to clinch all three points and top spot in the group.