Paris Saint-Germain staged a thrilling comeback to defeat 10-man Monaco 3-2 in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase playoff on Tuesday at Stade Louis II.
Monaco took an early lead with a 55-second strike from United States star Folarin Balogun and doubled their advantage in the 18th minute as Balogun scored again following a quick one-two with Maghnes Akliouche. PSG appeared on the back foot, with Vitinha missing a penalty and Ousmane Dembele forced off injured before the half-hour mark.
The game turned when Desire Doue was brought on as Dembele’s replacement. Doue scored a stunning first goal for PSG and then set up Achraf Hakimi to equalise just before halftime. Monaco’s Aleksandr Golovin was sent off early in the second half following a VAR review, reducing the home side to 10 men.
Doue capitalised on the advantage, scoring the winner in the 67th minute, completing a remarkable turnaround. PSG, under Luis Enrique, now head into the second leg in Paris with a one-goal lead, keeping their place in the last 16 very much within reach.
Despite the dramatic comeback, Monaco can take some solace in having played most of the match with 10 men and still leaving Paris with a manageable deficit. PSG will aim to seal the tie at home next week, with the winners set to face either Barcelona or Chelsea in the next round.
