PARIS (AFP) - Paris Saint-Germain squandered the chance to clinch the French Ligue 1 title in record-equalling time on Sunday (April 7) after a 2-2 draw at home to Strasbourg, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's incredible miss from on the goal line costing his team dear.
PSG were handed the opportunity to win their sixth French crown in seven seasons after second-placed Lille drew 1-1 at Reims earlier.
That left Thomas Tuchel's side knowing that three points at the Parc des Princes would see them retain the title and wrap it up with eight games to spare, matching the speed with which Laurent Blanc's team became champions in 2016.
Choupo-Moting gave them an early lead with his third Ligue 1 goal, but later in the first half he somehow succeeded in turning a net-bound Christopher Nkunku shot onto the post while standing on the line.
"I wondered if I was offside and it all happened very fast. I touched the ball, it hit the post and, well, it's a real shame because the ball was going in," he told Canal+. "Sorry about that."
Fresh from winning the League Cup last weekend, Strasbourg had equalised before Choupo-Moting's howler, when Nuno da Costa turned in a Lionel Carole cross, and they found themselves 2-1 up in the 38th minute when Anthony Goncalves lashed home from 22 yards.
Kylian Mbappe came off the bench on the hour mark but it was another PSG substitute who made it 2-2 with eight minutes remaining. Julian Draxler sent in a corner from the right and Germany defender Thilo Kehrer headed home.
However, having drawn at home to PSG back in December, mid-table Strasbourg then held on for a point.
Cameroon international Choupo-Moting started with Mbappe rested and Neymar, Angel di Maria and Edinson Cavani all unfit - the latter watched from the stands sporting a beret.
'Murphy's law'
"He is an excellent back-up player to have but if you start a lot for PSG you need to have confidence and he lacks that," said Tuchel of Choupo-Moting.
"He was very unfortunate because he started very well and then he stopped that ball on the line which would have made it 2-1 for us.
"I don't know why he did that. In English you say it's Murphy's law."
Still a huge 20 points clear at the summit and with a game in hand, PSG will now hope to secure the eighth league title in their history when they go to Lille next weekend.
A point will be enough in that game, but PSG should have finished the job here - Choupo-Moting's miss was one of the worst you are ever likely to see, while Dani Alves hit the bar after the break.
Earlier, Jose Fonte's 56th-minute header had Lille on course to take all three points away to Reims, but substitute Remi Oudin's 78th-minute leveller - initially ruled out for offside but then given after a Video Assistant Referee review - denied the visitors.
Lille are more concerned with holding off the teams below them as they look to secure second place, which provides automatic qualification for next season's Champions League group stage.
The draw at the Stade Auguste-Delaune moved them five points clear of third-placed Lyon, who slumped to a shock 3-1 loss at home to relegation-threatened Dijon on Saturday.
"If we had won I think we would have sealed our place on the podium," said Lille coach Christophe Galtier.
"We are 11 points ahead of Saint-Etienne but there are still 21 points to play for."
Fourth-placed Saint-Etienne drew 2-2 at Amiens on Saturday, while Marseille, in fifth spot, were beaten 2-0 at Bordeaux on Friday.
Reims are just a point behind Marseille in sixth and are level on points with Patrick Vieira's Nice, who beat Montpellier 1-0.
PSG miss chance to wrap up French title after goal-line howler with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's incredible miss from on the goal-line costing his team dear. Troubled PSG throw away lead
Clockwatch + La Liga | The Guardian
Football: Choupo-Moting in goal-line howler as PSG throw away chance to wrap up French title. Apr 8, 2019, 7:38 pm. More racial abuse cases heighten calls for action. Apr 8, 2019, 5:00 am ;
Serie A » News » Ronaldo back in Madrid ready to tackle
Football: Choupo-Moting in goal-line howler as PSG throw away
Football: Choupo-Moting in goal-line howler as PSG throw away chance to wrap up French title Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting somehow succeeded in turning a net-bound Christopher Nkunku shot onto the post
Football: Choupo-Moting in goal-line howler as PSG throw away
You know, I think Barca will be fine. 29 April 2013. By Nicol Hay. Football fans have a curious love for certainties - knowing that this player was definitely better than that one, that one club is clearly bigger than the other - that seems to be a product of the untidy nature of the game itself.
AC Milan Online v4.0 | The Archive
Liverpool and Milan are set to fight it out for Paris Saint-Germain defender Mamadou Sakho, reports suggest. French newspaper L'Equipe believe that the Rossoneri are preparing a €15m bid for the 23-year-old defender as they look to strengthen their backline before the end of the transfer window.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for the 34-year-old Ronaldo who lived a stone's throw away from Atletico's training centre. Juventus signed Ronaldo because of his Champions League credentials. No player owns as many Champions League titles as Ronaldo who has won five, four with Real Madrid and one with Manchester United.
Mourinho Just Ended The Ronaldo-Messi Debate Once And For All
Ramadan Sobhi shanks a great chance from ten yards, out for a throw. And then the league leaders go up the other end, Cahill making up for giving away a penalty by scoring what is surely the
You know, I think Barca will be fine | The Football Ramble
Football: Choupo-Moting in goal-line howler as PSG throw away chance to wrap up French title 0:0 Comments From Swiss-standard to being a city of follies 0:0 Comments Tennis: Big-serving Keys defeats Wozniacki for first time; Muguruza retains Monterrey title as Azarenka retires 0:0 Comments
tottenham hostpur paris saint germain News | Latest News on
Welcome! Log into your account. your username. your password
Basketball: Curry brothers to spice up NBA 3-point contest
Football: Choupo-Moting in goal-line howler as PSG throw away chance to wrap up French title PARIS (AFP) - Paris Saint-Germain squandered the chance to clinch the French Ligue 1 title in record-equalling time on Sunday (April 7) after a 2-2 draw at home to Strasbourg, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's incredible miss from on the goal line costing
Latest Football News & Headlines, Top Stories Today - The
0 comments:
Post a Comment