Paris, Feb 26 (IANS) Second-half goals from Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia saw Paris Saint-Germain draw 2-2 with fellow Ligue 1 opponents AS Monaco at the Parc des Princes in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off to qualify for the last-16 of the competition with 5-4 win on aggregate.
Two goals in the space of six second-half minutes helped the reigning champions into the last 16 after being pushed close by ten-man Monaco. The visitors started brightly and were rewarded for their efforts just before half-time via Maghnes Akliouche’s neat strike.
However, shortly after Monaco’s Mamadou Coulibaly received a second booking, home skipper Marquinhos steered in a Désiré Doué cross, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia pouncing on a rebound to give Paris the lead on the night.
Substitute Jordan Teze made it a nervy ending for Luis Enrique’s men with an emphatic finish deep in added time, but the hosts held on.
“We deserved to qualify, but we were made to suffer the whole time. If there’s one team that’s used to doing it tough, it’s us. We had the worst group, we had to play against Qarabağ or Monaco and it was Monaco of course, and now between Chelsea and Barcelona, both are great teams. We are ready, and we are used to playing in these types of matches,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said.
Meanwhile, Galatasaray held off a remarkable comeback by ten-man Juventus, sealing a place in round of 16 with 7-5 aggregate win.
Victor Osimhen and Barıs Alper Yılmaz struck in extra time as Galatasaray held off Juventus in a pulsating encounter. The hosts came from three goals down after the first leg to force an additional half-hour despite the dismissal of Lloyd Kelly three minutes after the interval, by which time Manuel Locatelli’s penalty had pulled one back.
The Bianconeri rallied though, striking again through Federico Gatti before making it 5-5 on aggregate when Weston McKennie forced the ball in moments after Kenan Yıldız had hit the post.
Jeremie Boga might even have put the Italian side ahead overall but could not convert – and that was the cue for the visitors to finally overcome tiring opponents.
–IANS
bc/