Kylian Mbappe’s injury-time strike saw PSG beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Parc des Princes.
PSG had appeared to be heading for a frustrating goalless draw in the French capital after Lionel Messi saw his 62nd-minute penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois.
The visitors’ giant Belgian goalkeeper guessed correctly and dived low to his left to turn Messi’s spot-kick behind for a corner in what looked like being the pivotal moment of the tie.
All this after Mauricio Pochettino’s side had dominated most of the clash, only for Mbappe to twice be denied by excellent Courtois stops in each half, before Messi was given the chance to break the deadlock from the spot after Dani Carvajal had foolishly lunged in on Mbappe in the box. But the Argentine’s spot kick was saved by Courtois.
Both managers brought on a raft of substitutes in an effort to break the deadlock, with the hosts seeing the return of Neymar after a four-month layoff with an ankle injury, while Real introduced Wales forward Gareth Bale, but with little effect.
That was until the fourth and final minute of stoppage time when Neymar’s cheeky back-heel released Mbappe down the left side of the area and within the blink of an eye the striker’s quick feet saw him one on one with Courtois.
The angle was tight, but Mbappe – who has been consistently linked with a move to Real this summer – kept his cool to side-foot home through Courtois’s legs for his 22nd goal of the season to hand PSG a slender advantage heading into the return leg in Madrid on March 9.
Source: Skysports
