Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain
Wednesday December 3, 2008, 7.45pm
City of Manchester Stadium - Att:
Teams
City: Hart, Zabaleta, Dunne (c), Ben Haim, Garrido, Kompany, Ireland, Elano (Benjani 47), Vassell, Sturridge, Jo (Evans 65).
unused subs: Schmeichel, Berti, Logan, Hamann, Caicedo.
PSG: Landreau, Sakho, Makelele (Armand 58), Bourillon, Luyindula, Pancrate, Traore, Kezman (Hoarau 68), Camara, Clement, Rothen.
unused subs: Edel, Ceara, Giuly, Mabila, Ngoyi
Goals: 0-0
Bookings:
City:
PSG: Kezman (27)
Referee: B M D Paixao
Pre-match
Several
changes for City, with Zabaleta, Ben Haim, Elano, Sturridge and Jo all
starting in place of Richards, SWP, Robinho, Hamann & Benjani.
Familiar names to look for for PSG are Mateja Kezman and the excellent
Claude Makelele.
The match
It did not take
long for fan favourite Elano to make his mark, feeding Danny Sturridge
early on and allowing the striker to home in on Landreau in PSG’s goal.
The visiting keeper did well twice in quick succession, blocking
Sturridge and then parrying Elano’s follow-up shot.
Elano’s
Brazilian partner Jo set up Darius Vassell for our next chance eight
minutes later, but as he rolled his shot across the face of goal and
just wide, the linesman raised a very late flag for offside.
There
were some lively exchanges between PSG’s sizeable contingent and the
home fans, and things livened up between Dunne & Kezman on the
field, with the referee giving both a talking-to after Dunne had
objected to the former Chelsea striker’s challenge. Joe Hart also gave
the Serbian a piece of his mind seconds later after he had caught the
City keeper late, and a bad few minutes were complete when he was
booked for a clumsy tackle on Ben Haim.
Neither side created
anything in the way of a clear-cut chance, but Pancrate should have
done better with his cross from the right on 36 minutes, missing both
available players as City’s defence backtracked. Zabaleta’s cross
allowed J0o the chance to head back towards goal with three minutes to
the break, but the ball looped harmlessly into Landreau’s hands.
The
Argentinean right-back went close himself just seconds later after
Vassell delayed his pass just enough to roll the ball into his path,
the subsequent shot looked to be going in until a late deflection took
it wide. The stroke of half-time saw Kezman and Drogba look-a-like
Luyindula squander a good break, Ben Haim getting into the right place
at the right time to deny them. City broke away and Kompany fired
straight at Landreau from long range, the last action of an average
first half.
Just seconds of the second half had gone when Elano
went to ground, eventually hobbling off to be replaced by Benjani.
Luyindula fired a shot straight at Hart that the City keeper had no
problem collecting, just before Sturridge went down for some treatment
after taking a hefty challenge from Traore. A neat City move seconds
later ended when Vassell scooped his shot a long way over with the
target begging to be hit.
City were beginning to hit their stride
now, and Sturridge was inches away from taking the lead on 61 minutes,
his shot from outside the area skimming just wide. PSG broke down to
the other end, Luyindula sprang the offside trap but Joe Hart was equal
to it, saving with his feet. Ched Evans replaced Jo on 65 minutes.
19
minutes were left on the clock when Luyindula broke away from Garrido
to find Hoarau with a cross – but the substitute should have done much
better than placing the ball wide from very close range. The lively
Luyindula also squandered a good chance a couple of minutes later,
firing over from the left hand side of the box. The same player went
close twice in the 82nd minute, hassled away from getting a shot in by
Dunne in the six yard box, and inches away from touching in a cross
seconds later.
The visitors had had the best of the latter part
of the game, but City could have tied up the game deep into stoppage
timehad Ireland been able to find Benjani with a cross. That was the
last meaningful action of the match, and with Twente beating Schalke
City were now just a point ahead at the top of Group A with one game to
go.
Tim Oscroft
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