PSG Battle Past 10-Man Monaco to Edge into Champions League Last 16
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has secured a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League for the 14th consecutive season after a challenging second-leg match against AS Monaco, which ended in a 2-2 draw despite Monaco playing with ten men. The current holders faced the only other Ligue 1 team left in the competition and managed to advance, overcoming a first-leg deficit for the first time in their history across eight knockout ties.
Monaco started the match with determination and almost levelled the aggregate score just ten minutes into the game. Maghnes Akliouche made a remarkable run into the penalty area and delivered a pass to Mamadou Coulibaly, who unfortunately lost control of the bouncing ball and sent it over the bar. The visitors pressed on and created several chances, including a near miss from Thilo Kehrer, who glanced a header wide. It appeared they were on course to score, much like they had in the first leg.
PSG began to find their rhythm, with Bradley Barcola striking the crossbar from a sharp angle, yet it was Monaco who managed to capitalize just before the halftime break. Caio Henrique’s cross found Coulibaly, who cleverly redirected it to Akliouche, allowing the latter to score past goalkeeper Matvey Safonov, hitting it off the post.
The situation turned dramatically for Monaco after halftime when Coulibaly received a second yellow card for a foul on Achraf Hakimi, resulting in his sending off. PSG quickly took advantage of their numerical superiority. Désiré Doué, without much resistance, surged forward from the right flank and crossed for Marquinhos to slot the ball home, equalizing the aggregate score.
Following this, Hakimi had a chance of his own, unleashing a shot that was initially parried by goalkeeper Philipp Köhn, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was on hand to net the rebound, putting PSG ahead in the match. Although PSG seemed to be controlling the game comfortably, a late goal from Jordan Teze, who finished a cross from Simon Adingra, sparked a moment of panic; however, the time left was insufficient for Monaco to respond further.
This match confirms PSG’s position in the Champions League round of 16 yet raises concerns about their performance, as they struggled to overcome a ten-man side in both legs. Despite this, Désiré Doué emerged as the standout player, earning the title of Man of the Match for his impactful display.
