Substitute Choupo-Moting the hero as PSG score twice in injury-time to break Atalanta hearts
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ByEurosport
Updated 12/08/2020 at 22:15 GMT
Champions League quarter-final, Estadio da Luz – Atalanta 1 (Pasalic 26’) Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Marquinhos 90’, Choupo-Moting 90+3’
Paris Saint-Germain's Cameroon forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (front) celebrates with Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final football match between Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germ
Image credit: Getty Images
Paris Saint-Germain scored twice in injury-time to seal their place in the semi-final of the Champions League for the first time since 1995 and break the hearts of Atalanta.
Thomas Tuchel's side fell behind in the 27th minute when Mario Pasalic curled Atalanta ahead with a splendid left-footed effort for his 12th goal of the season.
With Kylian Mbappe only fit enough for the bench, Neymar floated between the sublime and the ridiculous in his absence. Although he was a class above his team mates, PSG's two big chances of the first half fell to the Brazilian, and he fluffed his lines when through on goal early on and blazed high and wide from inside the box just before the interval.
Mbappe, who has just recovered from an ankle injury, was finally introduced with half an hour remaining and although he immediately improved PSG, the French giants looked destined to exit the competition prematurely once again.
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Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germain at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfi
Image credit: Getty Images
Atalanta had battled bravely throughout and Pasalic's first-half goal had looked set to be enough to send them into the last-four for the first time in the club's history, but PSG had a sting in their tail.
Neymar laid on Marquinhos' equaliser in the 90th minute, although the last touch may have come off the boot of Mattia Caldara, and just two minutes later Mbappe handed the winner on a plate for substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, as Tuchel's men set up a semi-final clash with Atletico Madrid or Leipzig.
Talking point - Is this finally PSG's year?
Questions have been asked about PSG's mentality after a number of shocking and embarrassing defeats in the latter stages of this competition over the years. The scathing headlines had already been written about the Ligue 1 champions and Tuchel, but thanks to the brilliance of Neymar and Mbappe, they produced an incredible and spirited comeback at the death. Sterner tests lie in wait, but with two such majestic players on their side, and with such an inspirational win behind them, they stand a great chance.
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Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates victory with Neymar during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germain at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on August 12, 2020 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Image credit: Getty Images
Sympathy must go to Atalanta. The Serie A high-flyers have defied all odds to reach this stage and were only minutes from claiming a world famous victory. Thankfully, thanks to their third-place league finish, they will be back next season.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Neymar (PSG)
It was a night to forget for the Brazilian in front of goal, and if PSG had suffered defeat the finger of blame would have been pointed at the 28-year-old, but his build-up play and overall contribution was magnificent.
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Mbappé, Neymar - Atalanta-PSG - Champions League 2019/2020 - Getty Images
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Atalanta: Sportiello 7, Toloi 7, Caldara 6, Djimsiti 7, Hateboer 6, De Roon 7, Freuler 6, Gosens 6, Gomez 7, Pasalic 7, Zapata 7.. subs: Palomino 5, Castagne N/A, Muriel 5, Malinovskiy 5, Da Riva N/A.
PSG: Navas 6, Kehrer 6, Thiago Silva 6, Kimpembe 6, Bernat 7, Herrera 6, Marquinhos 7, Gueye 7, Neymar 8, Icardi 5, Sarabia 5.. subs: Rico N/A, Paredes 6, Draxler 5, Mbappe 8, Choupo-Moting 8.
KEY MOMENTS
4' - Sitter! Oh my, what a miss. PSG spring an attack immediately, as Icardi releases Neymar who is through on goal with just the Atalanta goalkeeper to beat. You would put your mortgage on the Brazilian scoring... but he puts it wide! It's an unforgivable miss.
27' - GOAL! Atalanta 1-0 PSG (Pasalic): The underdogs are ahead! The ball bounces up for Pasalic after Kimpembe tackles Zapata on the edge of the box, and the Atalanta forward curls it first-time into the top corner, leaving Navas no chance, for his 12th goal of the campaign.
42' - Miss! Neymar hasn't got his shooting boots on tonight, by the look of things. He pounces on Hateboer's misplaced pass as he races through on goal. The angle is against him but he blazes it into row-Z.
90' - GOAL! Atalanta 1-1 PSG (Marquinhos): Heartbreak for Atalanta, but sheer relief for PSG! It's a goal right at the death! Choupo-Moting picks out Neymar at the far post, he centres it for Marquinhos who side-foots it past the goalkeeper. The last touch may have come off the boot of Caldara. Was Neymar offside? No. VAR gives it the all-clear.
90'+3 - GOAL! Atalanta 1-2 PSG (Choupo-Moting): They've won it!!! Neymar slips it through to Mbappe down the left and he squares it for Choupo-Moting who slides it into an empty net!
KEY STATS
- Paris Saint-Germain have reached the semi finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1994/95 under Luis Fernandez.
- There were just 149 seconds between Marquinhos scoring PSG's equaliser and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scoring their winner to send the French side through to the semi finals of the UEFA Champions League.
- Atalanta have scored the first goal of the match in seven of their nine Champions League games played current season, more than any other side.
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