Tjini Sport Travel Blog

Sandwiched between the two Europa League last-16 matches with Benfica, PSG were back in Ligue 1 action as Montpellier visited the Parc des Princes. Three of the top four had already won in Week 27 and the aim was clear for the capital club: claim all three points to keep pace with the leaders.

Les Parisiens began the match in style. Nene, released into space down the left, spotted Guillaume Hoarau unmarked at the back post and the Brazilian’s inch perfect cross picked out the Reunion Island striker who headed home the opening goal (1-0, 11′). Antoine Kombouaré’s charges refused to sit on their lead and continued to dominate possession.

Ludovic Giuly then broke down the right and crossed for Mevlut Erding at the front post. The French-born Turkey international’s shot was inadvertently turned home by MHSC centre-back Yanga-Mbiwa (2-0, 13′). The first half ended with a host of presentable scoring chances for the home side, but Erding (29′), Giuly (29′),  Jérémy Clément (31′) or Nene (33′) couldn’t force Montpellier ‘keeper Jourdren into action.

The game changed entirely in the second half. Montpellier were suddenly right back in the match when Giroud glanced home a header from Belhanda free-kick (2-1, 47′). Minutes later, MHSC defender Jeunechamp received a second yellow card and was sent for an early shower (50′).

Despite being reduced to ten men, the visiting Montpellier side refused to sit back. The referee, Monsieur Buquet awarded Montpellier a corner that should have been a goal-kick. PSG shot-stopper Apoula Edel punched clear, as far as Pitau who played the ball back into Giroud in the box and the big striker turned and fired left-footed into the bottom right-hand corner (2-2, 58′).

The match ended in a 2-2 draw. PSG are back in action at the Parc des Princes in the Europa League this Thursday for their last-16 second leg clash against Benfica, hoping to qualify for the quarter-finals, before ending the week in Marseille for the Ligue 1 Classico that will certainly have a huge bearing on the remainder of the season…

Paris St Germain   Cards *

Apoula Edel    

Sylvain Armand    *

Siaka Tiene    

Christophe Jallet  * 

Mamadou Sakho    

Claude Makelele    *

Jeremy Clement    

Ludovic Giuly    

Mevlut Erdinc    *

Guillaume Hoarau    

Nene    

 Substitutes

Gregory Coupet    

Zoumana Camara    

Tripy Makonda    

Sammy Traore    

Mathieu Bodmer

Jean-Eudes Maurice

Jean-Christophe Bahebeck  

 Montpellier   Cards

Geoffrey Jourdren    

Cyril Jeunechamp     **

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa    

Garry Bocaly    *

Abdel El Kaoutari    *

Romain Pitau    

Younes Belhanda    *

Joris Marveaux    

Souleymane Camara    

Olivier Giroud    

John Utaka    

 Substitutes

Laurent Pionnier    

Xavier Collin    

Geoffrey Dernis    

Jamel Saihi

Benjamin Stambouli    

Adrien Coulomb    

Karim Ait-Fana