RB Leipzig’s defeat leaves PSG in battle to reach the round of 16

Paris Saint-Germain face a battle to reach the round of 16 after RB Leipzig rallied to secure a 2-1 win in Group H. of the Champions League.

The French champions were missing several stars, such as Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, but they offered the greatest threat in an open first half.

Angel Di Maria, who was Leipzig’s chief tormentor when the two teams met in last season’s Champions League semi-final, opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he threw a pass from Moise Kean.

It looked like it was going to be the visitors’ night, but the Argentine missed a penalty shortly after and PSG had to back off just before half-time when former striker Christopher Nkunku fired a 20-yard low kick into the corner.

Leipzig improved after the break and turned the game around in the 57th minute when Emil Forsberg converted from the penalty spot.

The visiting team was flat and lacked the urgency of the first procedures and their misery was compounded when both Idrissa Gueye and Presnel Kimpbembe were sent off.

The result means that Group H is still very tight at the end of matchday three. Manchester United lead the way alongside Leipzig with six points. PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir have three each.

Next, PSG know they need a result when they host Leipzig on November 24, while Istanbul Basaksehir visit United.

Leipzig punishes Jekyll and Hyde PSG. This was a terrible night for Paris. Thomas Tuchel’s men were missing their two talisman forwards, as well as those of Marco Verratti, Mauro Icardi and Julian Draxler, but they actually started very brilliantly. The visiting team might have been out of sight after half an hour, but it faded badly as the game progressed.

Di María’s missed penalty was the turning point and from that moment on his night went from bad to worse. Last year’s finalists have a tough road to the knockout stages from here and will have to deal with some suspensions after second-half red cards. Tuchel will face family criticism and know that he cannot afford any more mistakes, as failing to get out of the pool will surely spell a premature end to his tenure.

As for Leipzig, they bounced back from a very shaky start, but ultimately achieved a result that was the perfect response to their 5-0 beating at Manchester United. Julian Nagelsmann had spoken that the double with PSG would be like a knockout and that his team needed to get four points out of matches to maintain any real hope of progress. This was a great statement, and while there is still a lot of work to do, the German team is very much on the run in what is becoming a group roller coaster.

Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig). It had a great influence on the result. Little by little it came to life after the early dominance of PSG. He created a flurry of opportunities with great industry down the left and capped off a good performance with a well-executed penalty kick winner.

RB LEIPZIG: Gulacsi 8, Angelino 7, Orban 7, Upamecano 6, Konate 6, Sabitzer 7, Haidara 7, Forsberg 8, Nkunku 8, Mukiele 7, Olmo 7. Subs: Poulsen 7, Henrichs 6, Adams 6, Kluivert 6, Kampl n /a.

PSG: Navas 7, Florenzi 6, Danilo 6, Kimpembe 5, Kurzawa 6, Herrera 6, Marquinhos 6, Gueye 4, Di Maria 7, Kean 7, Sarabia 6. Subs: Kehrer 6, Bakker 6, Rafinha n / a.

Matchcast: full match stats and commentary

KEY MOMENTS

6 ‘- GOAL! Leipzig 0-1 PSG. Di María hits a deft shot past the keeper after Kean intercepted a poor backward pass from Upamecano and drove the Argentine into space inside the area.

8 ‘- LEIPZIG OPPORTUNITY. It should be all square. Navas somehow denies Haidara from close range before Angelino’s tracking is miraculously blocked.

16 ‘- PSG SAVED FROM PENALTY. Di Maria’s penalty shot is just too close to Gulacsi, who lunges to his left and rejects it. The penalty was awarded after Kean brilliantly scored a cross from the left. He turned carefully and fired a shot that hit Upamecano in the arm.

41 ‘- GOAL! Leipzig 1-1 PSG. Nkunku evens things out against his former club with a strong low drive from the edge of the area.

53 ‘- LEIPZIG OPPORTUNITY. Wonderful work of Forsberg. Charge from the left, twist, then twist before shooting overhead. I just needed a little more composure after an excellent solo career.57 ‘- GOAL! Leipzig 2-1 PSG. Forsberg walks up and fires a kick from the low point just beyond Navas’ reach. The penalty was awarded when the VAR intervened after a hand from Kimpembe.

69 ‘- RED CARD PSG! Gueye receives a second yellow and his marching orders for a high entry.

90 + 5 ‘- ANOTHER RED CARD PSG. PSG is down to nine men! Kimpembe cuts Poulsen while looking to break and deservedly gets a second yellow.

Di María has missed two of his three penalty attempts in all competitions with Paris.

Idrissa Gueye is the first Paris player to receive a red card in a Champions League match since Marco Verratti, in March 2018 against Real Madrid.

This is the first time that the three French clubs (Marseille, Paris, Rennes) have lost during the same week in the Champions League since October 2011 (Lille, Lyon, Marseille).