Doue inspires PSG’s Champions League comeback win in Monaco

PSG’s Bradley Barcola in action against Monaco’s Vanderson during the match. (EPA Images pic)MONACO: Paris St-Germain recovered from a shambolic start as Desire Doue inspired a comeback from two goals down to beat Monaco 3-2 in the principality in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off tie on Tuesday.US star Folarin Balogun opened the scoring after just 55 seconds and found the net again in 18 minutes to put Monaco in control against their French Ligue 1 rivals at the Stade Louis II.Vitinha then missed a chance for the reigning European champions to reduce the deficit when he had a penalty saved and last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele came off injured before the half-hour mark, but his replacement, Doue, sparked the comeback.He pulled one back and then helped set up Achraf Hakimi for the equaliser just before the break, and Monaco then had Aleksandr Golovin sent off right at the start of the second half. Doue then scored the winner on 67 minutes.It was a remarkable game and the result keeps the tie alive going into the return leg in Paris next Wednesday, but Luis Enrique’s PSG side are now strong favourites to seal a place in the last 16 in front of their own fans.PSG came into this game having been knocked off top spot in the French league last weekend following a defeat at Rennes, with Lens replacing them at the summit.However, they are a huge 20 points clear of Monaco, who find themselves languishing in eighth due to an inability to put together a consistent run of form.Nevertheless, Monaco notably held Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus at home during the league phase in Europe and also won 1-0 at home against PSG in Ligue 1 in November.Balogun double, Dembele injury This time they went in front inside a minute as Balogun headed in from close range from a Golovin cross for the fastest goal ever conceded in a European tie by PSG.Monaco were in dreamland as they doubled their advantage when Balogun played a quick one-two with Maghnes Akliouche before running through to finish past goalkeeper Matfei Safonov.A shock result appeared on the cards, with PSG’s title seemingly very much on the line, all the more so when Vitinha’s penalty was saved by Philipp Koehn after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had been brought down in the box by Wout Faes.That was the fourth penalty out of their last five in the Champions League that PSG had failed to convert, and things got worse for them when Dembele – who had been a slight doubt pre-match and has had an injury-hit season – had to come off.Yet his withdrawal really turned out to be a blessing, as Doue entered the fray and had a devastating impact.The standout performer in PSG’s 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in last season’s final had been on the field barely two minutes when he controlled a Bradley Barcola pass in the box before smashing a left-foot shot low into the far corner of the net.The leveller then came four minutes from the interval when a Doue shot was parried by Koehn, with Hakimi controlling the loose ball before applying the finish.Monaco’s grip on the game was really gone within three minutes of the restart, as Russian playmaker Golovin saw red following a VAR check for his challenge on Vitinha, granting PSG the extra man.The visitors took advantage as Warren Zaire-Emery laid the ball off for Doue to score his second of the night and make it 3-2 midway through the second half.PSG will hope to finish off the tie next week, with the winners facing either Barcelona or Chelsea in the next round.It is a big ask now for Monaco, although they will likely be relieved to be heading to Paris with just a one-goal deficit after playing for so long with 10 men.

MatchPoint Times

Doue inspires PSG’s Champions League comeback win in Monaco

Desire Doue scored twice and assisted Achraf Hakimi as PSG beat Monaco 3-2 in the first leg of the knockout tie.

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