PSG snatches a draw against Newcastle and keeps its destiny in its hands for qualification

2023-11-29 01:28:52
Kylian Mbappé during the match between Paris-Saint-Germain and Newcastle at the Parc des Princes, November 28, 2023. FRANCK FIFE / AFP

The 229th goal of Kylian Mbappé’s Parisian career is not the most difficult he has had to score but it will perhaps remain as one of the most important. At the moment, of course, he only offered Paris-Saint-Germain a draw against Newcastle (1-1), Tuesday November 28, in “money time”. But over the long term and with a horizon of two weeks before the last day of this group phase, it allows PSG to keep its destiny in its hands.

2nd in Group F, the capital club could reach the round of 16 in the event of a draw or defeat on December 13 in Dortmund, who won Tuesday evening at AC Milan (3-1). But without Mbappé’s goal, Paris would have approached this last match in 3rd place, behind Borussia and the Magpies, and dependent on the results of the other teams. Everything is still possible but the frustration is great for PSG, who hoped to qualify on Tuesday evening and wash away the insult received in the first leg in England (1-4).

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Before these long minutes spent in apnea throughout the second half, the Parisian evening had started well, with good news. An hour before the match kicked off, the supporters cheered their goalkeeper Sergio Rico, back in Paris for the first time, six months to the day after his horse riding accident which had plunged him into a coma for several weeks.

Then the first ten good minutes in Paris confirmed that the evening promised to be good. The Parisian movements were initially incisive and Kylian Mbappé immediately forced Nick Pope to make a save (9th). The first of a long series. Since the start of the season, Paris has been a team that attacks well, creates situations and is sovereign at home. But it is also a collective that is sometimes destitute defensively, which concedes too many opportunities.

Pope’s miracles

During its first gap of the match, PSG saw Alexander Isak spoil a huge situation on a double error from Achraf Hakimi and Gianluigi Donnarumma (12th), before the Swede scored following a shot poorly repelled by the Parisian goalkeeper (25th). From the Magpies’ goal, the scenario of the meeting was simple: Paris attacked, Newcastle defended as a unit, but PSG harvested its numerous attempts (31 shots to 5).

“We can’t afford to have so many chances and not score”, lamented Kylian Mbappé after the match. For an hour, the Parisian captain appeared absent from the debates, too lonely on his left side. After having struggled for a long time in his technical zone in the face of the lack of precision of his players, Luis Enrique placed his attacker back in the axis and everything appeared simpler on the Parisian side.

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