PSG 2-2 Manchester City
April 6, 2016
Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 Manchester City
(Ibrahimovic 41', Rabiot 59' - De Bruyne 38', Fernandinho 72')
Games unfold in peculiar ways sometimes, and one of those odd matches unfolded in Paris on Wednesday night. Manchester City will not complain, for they have two, valuable away goals in their effort to reach their first semifinal in club history.
The night started well for the visitors with Joe Hart saving a penalty from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Doubtful to be played after a calf injury in the Manchester derby, the English goalkeeper dived to his right to meet the shot from Ibrahimovic, the leading goal scorer in Ligue 1 this season. Kevin De Bruyne rewarded his goalkeeper at the other end, slotting a shot under the outstretched leg of German keeper Kevin Trapp to give Manchester City a 1-0 lead.
Whatever plaudits Hart would have received for his penalty save, he lost when he handed PSG their equalizer. The keeper unwisely rushed a pass to Fernando on the edge of City's area and Ibrahimovic, seeking redemption for his penalty miss, bounded in and deflected a frantic touch from Fernando into an open net. A strong defensive effort against the Parisians was erased, and the teams went into the dressing rooms level at halftime.
PSG applied more pressure in the second half, with Edinson Cavani driving the hosts forward. After winning a corner, the Uruguayan flicked a header goalwards, but Hart kept it out with a brilliant save. Once again though, the goalkeeper's luck was fleeting as Adrien Rabiot knocked in the rebound to put PSG ahead.
The former English champions would be afforded one final moment of good fortune deep in the second half when a driven cross from Bacary Sagna bounced off two PSG defenders before landing perfectly in front of the unmarked Fernandinho, who had only to tap the ball home and even the tie up once again.
In a match full of individual mistakes, sloppy passing and slapstick defending, it was Manchester City and their two away goals who ended up the winners of the 2-2 draw in Paris.