Paris Saint-Germain PSG have narrowly secured their place in the Champions League last 16 following a pulsating 2-2 draw with Monaco. The result confirms a 5-4 aggregate victory for the holders after a night of high tension at the Parc des Princes. Luis Enrique’s side faced a genuine scare against their domestic rivals before eventually finding their rhythm in the second half.
The visitors took a deserved lead just before the interval through the clinical Maghnes Akliouche. His first-time strike clipped the post to silence the Parisian crowd and level the tie on aggregate. Earlier, Mamadou Coulibaly missed a golden opportunity to put the principality side ahead from close range. PSG appeared disjointed for much of the opening period, struggling to break down a resilient Monaco defensive line.
However, the complexion of the match shifted dramatically shortly after the hour mark due to a moment of indiscretion. Coulibaly received his marching orders after picking up two yellow cards in just three minutes. His dismissal for a late challenge on Achraf Hakimi left Monaco to defend their advantage with ten men. This numerical superiority allowed the hosts to finally impose their will on the contest.
The equaliser arrived almost immediately as captain Marquinhos reacted quickest to a low cross from Désiré Doué. His close-range finish restored PSG’s aggregate lead and shifted the momentum firmly back toward the home side. Six minutes later, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled the advantage on the night after a powerful Hakimi strike was parried into his path. The Georgian winger made no mistake, firing home to seemingly put the tie beyond Monaco’s reach.
Monaco refused to surrender and set up a grandstand finish through a stoppage-time goal from substitute Jordan Teze. His low effort found the bottom corner to bring the score on the night to 2-2. Wout Faes then missed a late header that would have forced extra time, much to the relief of the home support. PSG held their nerve through a frantic final few minutes to confirm their progression.
The French champions must now prepare for a heavyweight clash in the next round. They will discover on Friday whether they face Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16. Luis Enrique praised his team’s ability to “overcome problems” during a testing European campaign thus far. Conversely, Monaco exit the competition despite a spirited performance that pushed the defending champions to the absolute limit.
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