Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning Ligue 1 champions, once again faltered on the grand stage of the Champions League, drawing 1-1 against PSV Eindhoven at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday. The result leaves PSG in a precarious position in Group F, with their ambitions for European glory hanging in the balance.
The match began with PSG dictating the pace, with Bradley Barcola narrowly missing the target in the 11th minute and Ousmane Dembele striking the crossbar in the 22nd. Despite their early dominance, PSG’s midfield appeared fragile, allowing PSV to exploit their vulnerabilities.
In a moment of clinical brilliance, PSV snatched the lead in the 34th minute. Ismael Saibari dispossessed Dembele, feeding Noa Lang who calmly slotted the ball past a surprised Gianluigi Donnarumma. PSG were left trailing, their early dominance seemingly evaporated.
However, PSG managed to find an equalizer 10 minutes into the second half, courtesy of a powerful strike from Achraf Hakimi. His shot went straight through the legs of PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez, restoring parity to the match.
The remaining half saw PSG pushing for a winning goal, with Dembele and Barcola coming close. However, the absence of Kylian Mbappe, who left for Real Madrid during the summer, was keenly felt. The team lacked a true goal-scoring threat, and their midfield continued to struggle against a determined PSV.
Despite the equalizer, the draw leaves PSG with just four points after three matches. Their next encounter, against Atletico Madrid, becomes a crucial test. A failure to secure a win could further jeopardize their chances of progressing in the competition.
PSV, on the other hand, while remaining winless, earned their first point of the group stage. They will look to build upon this performance when they host Girona in their next fixture.
