PSG rallies to draw 2-2 with Madrid and clinch 1st place
MADRID (AP) - Paris Saint-Germain scored two late goals to draw 2-2 with Real Madrid and clinch first place in Group A of the Champions League on Tuesday.
Karim Benzema gave Madrid the lead with a goal in each half at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, but Kylian Mbappé and Pablo Sarabia scored in the 81st and 83rd minutes to seal the draw.
Second-half substitute Gareth Bale nearly gave Madrid the win with a free kick that hit the post in injury time.
PSG, which started the match without Neymar and Edinson Cavani, needed only a point to clinch first place.
Madrid had secured its spot in the knockout round in advance thanks to Club Brugge's 1-1 draw at Galatasaray earlier Tuesday in the other group game. PSG had already advanced after winning its first four matches, including 3-0 against Madrid at home.
'œWe played a great match,'ť Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. 'œWe are not happy with the final result, but we are happy with how we played. We are happy with what we did for the first 80 minutes. If we can keep playing like this, I'll be satisfied.'ť
PSG was outplayed during most of the match on Tuesday, with former Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas making a few good saves to keep the hosts from adding to their lead.
'œReal Madrid was the better team for many minutes tonight,'ť PSG coach Thomas Tuchel said. 'œReal Madrid played quite well, with a lot of confidence.'ť
Benzema put Madrid ahead from close range in the 17th and added his second with a header in the 79th. Mbappé pulled PSG closer a couple of minutes later after a mistake by Thibaut Courtois, and substitute Sarabia netted the equalizer with a shot into the top corner.
The Madrid fans chanted Navas' name as he left the field after the match.
PSG thought it had been awarded a penalty and a red card to Thibaut late in the first half, but the decision was reversed by video review because of a push by Idrissa Gueye on left back Marcelo before Mauro Icardi was fouled by the Madrid goalkeeper inside the area.
Tuchel started the match with Icardi, Ãngel Di MarÃa and Mbappé up front, with Neymar coming in after the break but not contributing much. The Brazil playmaker made his return from injury last Friday in a 2-0 win over Lille in the French league. He hadn't played since Oct. 5 because of a muscle injury sustained while playing for Brazil during an international break.
Zidane kept Luka Modric and Bale on the bench, using Francisco 'œIsco'ť Alarcón and Federico Valverde in midfield. Bale came off the bench in the second half, again being loudly jeered by the Bernabéu crowd.
His late free kick struck the left post of Navas. The Wales forward replaced Hazard, who appeared to be injured.
Modric later replaced Valverde, who got a standing ovation from the crowd after another good performance.
Benzema scored his first goal after Isco's shot hit the post off in the 17th minute. Hazard started the breakaway that led to the goal, with Dani Carvajal and Valverde also getting involved in the well-orchestrated move. The second goal by the French striker was a header off a Marcelo cross.
Mbappé's goal came after Madrid defender Raphael Varane and Thibault didn't commit to a low cross toward them inside the area, and the ball ended up going underneath the goalkeeper to give Mbappé an easy shot into the open net.
Sarabia's well-struck shot from inside the penalty box closed the scoring.
___
More AP soccer https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
___
Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni