Dazzling Dembele inspires incredible comeback

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Manchester City’s Champions League hopes were hanging by a thread tonight after they succumbed to an incredible comeback from Paris Saint-Germain.

Having conceded goals to Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland at the start of the second half, the situation appeared bleak for a PSG side that started the evening outside the playoff spots in the revamped table.

But substitute Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola inspired a stirring response with both men on target before Joao Neves netted a late third to send the Parc des Princes wild. There was still time for Goncalo Ramos to add a fourth to rub salt in the City wound.

The win moved PSG up to 22nd and it is City who are now in danger of missing out. Pep Guardiola’s men are 25th, two points adrift of Stuttgart with their final match against Club Brugge next week now a must-win.

PSG start brightly

Perhaps sensing the gravity of their situation, PSG started well, Ederson saving from Desire Doue inside five minutes before Neves ballooned a header over the bar from close range.

Gianluigi Donnarumma saved from Kevin De Bruyne at the other end but it was a rare foray forward for City, who were largely playing on the back foot and they were indebted to defender Josko Gvardiol for keeping the scores level after 26 minutes.

The visitors failed to clear a corner and, from the ensuing melee, Fabian Ruiz fired in a shot which required Croatia defender Gvardiol to knee the ball to safety from on his own goal line.

Although they were playing largely on the break, it almost paid dividends for the English champions when Phil Foden set Savinho through on goal, albeit from a tight angle, but the Brazilian’s shot was well blocked by Donnarumma.

Having survived that scare, PSG almost went ahead a minute before half-time. Achraf Hakimi was at the end of a free-flowing move, finishing well past Ederson, only for the goal to be chalked off after Nuno Mendes was adjudged to be marginally offside in the build-up.

Grealish makes impact

Guardiola threw on Grealish and Rico Lewis for Ruben Dias and Savinho at the break and the double switch paid immediate dividends.

Manuel Akanji burst down the right and picked out a cross for Bernardo Silva and, although the Portuguese’s effort was saved by Donnarumma, the ball fell to Grealish and he fired high into the net.

The City fans had barely stopped celebrating in the Parisian rain when Haaland made it 2-0 three minutes later with Grealish again involved.

Having latched on to Matheus Nunes’ pass, the England winger cut in from the left and his cross was deflected by Vitinha into the path of Haaland and he made no mistake from close range.

The comeback begins

PSG’s Champions League dream was rapidly slipping away but they showed enormous courage to find a way back.

Dembele, who was also introduced at the break, pulled one back, latching on to Barcola’s cross to fire past Ederson and it was 2-2 on the hour mark, Doue’s shot crashing back off the bar into the path of Barcola and he scuffed a volley into the net via the left post.

PSG were in total command with City looking shellshocked.

Barcola fired an acrobatic effort over the bar, Dembele lashed high and wide when he ought to have done better before the former Barcelona winger crashed a shot against the bar with Ederson beaten.

Neves finds a third

It seemed a matter of time before the pressure told and PSG got the goal they deserved with 12 minutes to go, Neves diving to head home at the far post with no City defender close by.

The outstanding Dembele had another goal ruled out for offside and then drew a fine save from Ederson as PSG went for the jugular.

Substitute Ramos saw an effort saved by Ederson from close range but there was nothing the Brazil international could do when another Ramos’ effort, with the last kick of the game, was given following a lengthy VAR check.




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