UEFA Champions League
Result: Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 Manchester City
Date: 28 April 2021
Venue: Parc de Princes
Manchester City rallied from behind to secure a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final on Wednesday evening.
Ederson, John Stones, Rodri and Bernardo Silva all came back ito the City line-up while PSG made the same number of alterations, with Mitchel Bakker, Marquinhos, Iddrissa Gueye and Angel Di Maria all recalled.
The game produced fireworks from the early stages as Neymar came close to giving PSG the lead in the 13th minute with a curling strike that took a deflection and forced Ederson to parry over the crossbar.
Marquinhos opened the scoring for the hosts two minutes later with a glancing header after losing his marker at the near post from Di Maria's delightful corner.
Silva came close to getting the equaliser for the Citizens in the 21st minute after latching onto a long ball over the top by Joao Cancelo but his strike was parried away by shot-stopper Keylor Navas.
Pep Guardiola's charges had another chance just before the break after PSG lost possession on the edge of the box, with IIkay Gundogan setting up Phil Foden to have strike at goal from a square pass but the Englishman's effort was parried away by Navas.
The visitors had a bright start in the second stanza and Kevin De Bruyne had a great chance to snatch the equaliser on the hour-mark from a rebound inside the box but his spectacular over-head kick bounced on the outside roof of the net.
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De Bruyne eventually levelled matters for the Citizens in the 64th minute with a floated cross that evaded everyone and went into the back of the net.
The turnaround was complete in the last 19 minutes when City were awarded a free-kick and while it looked like De Bruyne was going to hit it, Riyad Mahrez took the first step and curled his strike through the wall and past Navas.
Mauricio Pochettino's troops were reduced to ten men with 13 minutes remaining after Gueye was red-carded for a tackle from behind on Gundogan, catching the German on his ankle with his studs.
Pochettino sacrificed Di Maria in the last ten minutes to plug the gap left by Gueye, as Danilo Pereira came on and three minutes later Ander Herrera replaced Leandro Paredes for fresh legs in midfield.
Foden had a wonderful chance to make it 3-1 for the Citizen in the last two minutes after turning brilliantly on the edge of the box, but his strike was smothered by Navas as City settled for a 2-1 win ahead of the second leg next Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium.
