PSG heads to Champions League quarterfinal over Chelsea

Thiago Silva scored on a looping header lifting PSG over Chelsea and into the Champions League quarterfinals.

Chelsea PSG Champions league
PSG advanced at Chelsea's expense a year after losing a quarterfinal to the London club [Reuters]

Paris St Germain reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League after beating Chelsea on away goals on Wednesday having survived most of the match with 10 men to draw 2-2 on the night and 3-3 on aggregate.

The deciding goal was headed home by Thiago Silva in the 114th minute after the PSG captain had earlier given away the penalty that put Chelsea 2-1 ahead.

Eden Hazard scored that spot kick in the 95th minute which looked like settling the niggling, ill-tempered tie but PSG, who had talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off after 31 minutes came fighting back.

Gary Cahill gave Chelsea the lead when he lashed home after 81 minutes but with four minutes of normal time to go, former Chelsea defender David Luiz scored with a powerful header from a corner that flew in off the underside of the bar to force extra time.

PSG did well to take the match into the extra period after losing Ibrahimovic early on, when the Swede connected with the outstretched leg of Brazilian midfielder Oscar, but it was more a clumsy challenge, rather than a dangerous one.

The French side should have taken the lead after 58 minutes when Edinson Cavani rounded goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, but he hit the inside of the near post with his shot and the all bounced across goal and away.

Despite an electrifying start to the match that included an attempt from Cavani after two minutes, and end-to-end play, neither team actually had a shot on target in the first half.

Yet the football both were producing was ruggedly entertaining with Chelsea’s Hazard creating opportunities for his front men which they could not capitalise on.

PSG were faster to almost every ball and dominated possession but Chelsea were never seriously troubled at the back and Ibrahimovic had a forgettable 30 minutes before departing.

Former Chelsea defender Luiz was lucky not to follow him off before halftime after a robust challenge on Diego Costa which floored the Chelsea striker but Luiz escaped because Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers did not see the incident.

Costa was then unlucky not to win a penalty after a mazy run through the Chelsea defence ended when he appeared to be tripped by Cavani in the area, but Kuipers waved play on.

The drama continued when the goals arrived late in normal time but at the end of an astonishing evening, it was PSG’s fans left celebrating a famous success.

Source: Reuters