Ten-man PSG held as dogged Reims strike late
On-loan Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun ran through to score
a remarkable 96th-minute equaliser as Reims held 10-man Ligue 1 leaders Paris
Saint-Germain to a 1-1 draw on Sunday.
It looked like Neymar's strike early in the second half
would be enough for PSG to take all three points despite substitute Marco
Verratti being sent off shortly after that goal.
But an impressive Reims side got the draw they richly
deserved when Balogun broke away to fire home right at the death.
The result sees the club coached by 30-year-old Belgian-born
Englishman Will Still extend their unbeaten run to 14 games between league and
cup.
They remain in mid-table but have now drawn with the
Parisians twice this season, their collective strength allowing a team of
hungry young players to hold their own against PSG's superstars.
PSG have now dropped points in three of their four league
games in 2023, and while they remain three points clear of Lens at the top of
the table, their form is a concern with the first leg of their Champions League
last-16 tie against Bayern Munich now little over two weeks away.
"Overall we obviously can't be satisfied with our
performance. It is not a question of being worried but we need to get back to
winning ways quickly and play much more as a team than we are at the
moment," coach Christophe Galtier told broadcaster Amazon Prime.
"To concede a goal after 95 minutes with the number of
experienced players we have -- it is damaging for us in terms of the points
dropped but it is also very surprising."
Galtier fielded Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar all
together in his starting line-up for the first time since the World Cup as PSG
took to the field wearing their fourth kit with players' names in Mandarin to
mark the Lunar New Year.
In fact PSG lined up in a 4-2-4 formation at the start with
Carlos Soler joining the superstar attacking trio and playing on the right
wing.
Neymar scores,
Verratti sent off
Yet they sorely missed Verratti in midfield with the Italian
left on the bench in the first half as Reims looked the more dangerous side.
He came on at the break and they took the lead in the 51st
minute as a Messi shot came off Achraf Hakimi and fell to Neymar, who duly
converted his 17th goal of the season.
However, PSG were reduced to 10 men shortly after amid much
confusion.
Reims were initially awarded a penalty for a foul by
Marquinhos on Balogun in the box, but a VAR intervention led to the referee
sending-off Verratti for a dangerous tackle on Junya Ito in the build-up and
then cancelling the penalty for an offside.
PSG then saw Sergio Ramos head off the bar before Hakimi had
a goal disallowed for offside.
It looked like they would hold on for the victory but, with
the allotted five added minutes having been played, Kamory Doumbia sent Balogun
away and the England Under-21 striker rounded Gianluigi Donnarumma and finished
emphatically for his 11th Ligue 1 goal this season.
"We played like a team, a team that was ready, proud
and who were not afraid to play here," said Still, who has not lost a game
since being promoted to the role of head coach following the departure of Oscar
Garcia in October.
"We had no complexes. I think the goal we conceded was a bit annoying but that is part of the game and we held on in there, maintained hope and were rewarded at the end."
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