A gift by Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen and two late goals by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia gave title holders Paris Saint-Germain a stunning 5-2 win over the English side in a thrilling Champions League last 16, first leg on Wednesday.
It looked as if Chelsea would return to London for next week’s second leg with a draw, and perhaps the upper hand in the tie, after they twice came from behind in the first hour at the Parc des Princes.
Bradley Barcola’s early opener for PSG was cancelled out by Malo Gusto, and a fantastic Ousmane Dembele finish which put the hosts back ahead just prior to the interval was followed by Enzo Fernandez making it 2-2.
However, a careless Jorgensen pass out was intercepted, allowing Vitinha to score PSG’s third with a delightful lob on 74 minutes, and substitute Kvaratskhelia smashed in a superb fourth for the hosts four minutes from time.
As if that were not enough, Kvaratskhelia scored again in stoppage time, leaving the reigning European champions seemingly with one foot in the quarter-finals before the second leg at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday.
The tie may not be over, but this result also gives PSG a measure of revenge in the first meeting of the teams since Chelsea crushed an exhausted French side 3-0 in last July’s Club World Cup final.
Nine of Chelsea’s starting XI that day lined up at kick-off here, the exceptions being Jorgensen -– preferred here to Robert Sanchez –- and defender Wesley Fofana.
They also have a different coach now, of course, with Liam Rosenior having succeeded Enzo Maresca in the dugout in January.
This game saw him make his return to France, where he did a fine job over 18 months at Strasbourg, the club who belong to the same BlueCo consortium which owns Chelsea.
His start in west London has been promising enough, but an exit from Europe will now be difficult to avoid, especially as PSG seemed to have their hunger back here after some patchy performances in recent weeks.
Luis Enrique’s team, who won three knockout ties against Premier League sides en route to European glory last year, have struggled to rediscover their form of last season with that marathon campaign taking its toll.
Goalkeeping errors
Ballon d’Or winner Dembele was starting here for just the 15th time in PSG’s 41 matches so far this term. He had played 90 minutes just four times before Wednesday.
They are a mere point ahead of Lens at the top of Ligue 1 and also out of the French Cup, while they came into this game with just two wins in seven in Europe.
Yet they came flying out of the blocks, going ahead on 10 minutes as Neves nodded the ball down for Barcola, who controlled before firing in off the underside of the crossbar for his first Champions League goal in over a year.
The champions were in the mood as Jorgensen tipped a Dembele effort onto the post and Barcola curled wide, but there is a feeling that their decision to sell Gianluigi Donnarumma may cost them.
Matfei Safonov has recently become the first-choice goalkeeper and he was at fault for Chelsea’s first equaliser just before the half-hour mark.
Fernandez found Gusto in splendid isolation on the Chelsea right and the French full-back scored with a shot which really should have been kept out by Safonov.
The Russian redeemed himself on 39 minutes by parrying a Cole Palmer shot, 14 seconds before Dembele made it 2-1.
He was released by Desire Doue, ran through on goal and feinted one way then the other before scoring with a shot that deflected in off Fofana.
His 12th goal of the season separated the teams at half-time, but again Chelsea hit back to equalise as the hour approached.
Pedro Neto flew down the left and cut the ball back for the unmarked Fernandez to fire in first-time.
Then Chelsea collapsed, as Barcola intercepted a Jorgensen pass and Vitinha finished in style, before Kvaratskhelia’s stunning solo effort and late finish from Achraf Hakimi’s assist made it a night to remember for the hosts.
AFP
