Manchester City earn vital score draw in Paris

Manchester City earned a 2-2 draw at Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

With time running out for Zlatan Ibrahimovic to win club football’s biggest prize, he was given a fantastic opportunity to put his side on the front foot after just 14 minutes but saw his penalty saved by Hart – his third successive penalty save in the Champions League.

And, to rub further salt into those over-confident wounds, Kevin De Bruyne emphatically finished off a fine City counter to break the deadlock.

However, if ever a goal was gift-wrapped in the extreme, City produced a moment of madness that would not have been out of place on the Sunday League pitches of Greater Manchester, as Ibrahimovic somewhat atoned for his earlier profligacy in bizarrely blocking Fernandinho’s attempted pass into the empty City net.

After the interval, neither side covered themselves in any glory defensively, and it was always a matter of time until the net bulged once more.

Ibrahimovic saw a header come back off the crossbar, before former City trialist Adrien Rabiot put the hosts in front for the first time, but it was far too easy for the youngster. The Parisiens looked likely to grab a third, but even the normally stoic PSG skipper Thiago Silva looked nervous, and he was helpless as Fernandinho capitalised on his missed clearance to grab another vital away goal.

The hosts toiled, but could not find a winner, and left the locals to trudge home unhappy after seeing their side put in such a lacklustre display, when they seemed primed to excel on the big stage. City were good value for their draw, despite looking very vulnerable at the back, and have a great chance of giving the Premier League a Champions League semi finalist after all.

Experienced duo let Parisiens down. City had the hugely expensive duo of Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi at their heart of their fragile rearguard, while the experienced pairing of David Luiz and Thiago Silva looked like they had been thrown together at the last minute – neither defence came out on top in the French capital. City will not mind too much, as their two away goals make them favourites to reach the last four, but PSG once again underachieved in Europe's elite competition, with the culprits this time around wearing a different mask.

Kevin De Bruyne. City’s Premier League title aspirations might still be alive if Kevin De Bruyne would have stayed fit. The talented Belgian makes so much difference to the City attack. He took his goal in emphatically in the Parc des Princes, but in a match when City had to defend deeply, his pace on the break proved invaluable.

PSG: Trapp 6, Aurier 6, Thiago Silva 5, David Luiz 5, Maxwell 5, Rabiot 6, Motta 6, Matuidi 6, Di Maria 7, Ibrahimovic 6, Cavani 5… Subs: Moura 6 Van der Wiel 6.

Manchester City: Hart 6, Sagna 6, Otamendi 5, Mangala 5, Clichy 5, Fernando 5, Fernandinho 6, Navas 6, Silva 6, De Bruyne 8, Aguero 5… Subs: Kolarov N/A, Delph 6, Bony N/A.

7’ - NO PENALTY! The Parc des Princes is incredulous as Mangala seems to bundle Blaise Matuidi to the ground. Would have been dismissed as he was last man if the Serbian official had have pointed to the spot. Let off for City. Excellent through ball from Edinson Cavani.

12’ - PENALTY TO PSG! Foul by Bacary Sagna on David Luiz. City players are furious, as they are adamant Luiz made a meal of that.

14’ - SAVED! Joe Hart to the rescue! Superb from the England stopper. Ibrahimovic is distraught. It was all going to script for the Swede! Justice done?

24’ - MISS! ZLATAN AGAIN! Awful defending from City allows Ibrahimovic to be played in by Thiago Motta. The Swede has time to measure it up, but fires over when he at least should have hit the target.

38’ - GOAL! PSG 1-0 City. Kevin De Bruyne with a massive goal in Paris! Superb counter from City. What a moment in this tie. Poor from Matuidi to give the ball away, but Fernandinho capitalised superbly, carrying the ball forward, before playing in De Bruyne, who lashed the ball home. Awful attempt at cutting the ball out from Luiz.

41’ - GOAL! PSG 1-1 City. One of the most bizarre goals you will ever see! What on earth??? Hart passes a goal-kick out to Fernando, who is far too relaxed, turns to pass to his left, but Ibrahimovic nips in, with his block rolling into the empty net! Amateurish doesn't do it justice. Pellegrini will be furious.

59’ - GOAL! PSG 2-1 City. Adrien Rabiot taps home to give the hosts the lead. A little on the soft side, but the Parisiens will take it! Cavani gets up well from a corner, his header is saved by Hart, but Rabiot is on hand to tap home the loose ball. Very easy for the Ligue 1 champions.

62’ - WOODWORK! PSG really are on top here. Ibrahimovic loops a header at goal, it comes back off the crossbar with Hart rooted to the spot, and Cavani's acrobatic effort from the rebound bounces over. Can City weather the storm?

72’ - GOAL! PSG 2-2 City. It had been coming, as the hosts return the favour and gift City an equaliser. Huge goal in the tie. Sagna squares the ball, it ricochets off Thiago Silva, into the path of Fernandinho, who steers the ball home, via the leg of the PSG skipper.

Hart has saved three of the five penalties he has faced in the Champions League since making his debut (60%), the highest percentage (min 5 pens) since 2011/12.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored in five consecutive Champions League games for the third time in his career (he also did it in February 2012 with Milan and February 2014 with PSG).

David Luiz was booked after 12 seconds, the quickest yellow in the Champions League this season and the fastest since 2003/04.