A last gasp RB Leipzig equaliser denied PSG three points they probably deserved as Georginio Wijnaldum starred with a brace.
Paris Saint-Germain were denied three points and qualification into the next round of the UEFA Champions League after RB Leipzig secured a dramatic draw right at the death. Dominik Szoboszlai’s last gasp spot-kick denied the Parisians.
PSG started on the back foot, as Leipzig got ahead through Christopher Nkunku’s early goal. Danilo Periera compounded things by conceding a penalty as he tripped Andre Silva inside the box. However, Gianluigi Donnarumma was at hand to save the resulting spot-kick, keeping his side in the contest.
Leipzig continued to press and threaten, although PSG grabbed an equaliser against the run of play. After some good one-touch play, Kylian Mbappe squared the ball for Georginio Wijnaldum to bring PSG back into the contest.
The French giants looked a real threat from counter-attacks and got their lead through Wijnaldum found the back of the net yet again. After the strike was initially ruled for offside, VAR intervened and granted PSG the goal. After that point, the Parisians looked destined to take all three points before a late twist changed the outcome.
Leipzig were awarded a penalty in second half stoppage time after Presnel Kimpembe clattered into Nkunku. Szoboszlai made no mistake this time to put his spot-kick beyond Donnarumma. A win would have let PSG qualify for the next round, which now seems postponed due to that late penalty. Here’s how Mauricio Pochettino’s men fared in their 2-2 draw with RB Leipzig.
Guianluigi Donnarumma: 8/10
Donnarumma had a busy night in goal, as the Leipzig attackers regularly troubled him by penetrating PSG’s defensive lines. He was instrumental in keeping his team in the game with a terrific save off an Andre Silva penalty when the Parisians were trailing. He could not keep out the late effort from Szobszlai, which could have let his team qualify for the next round.
Gianluigi Donnarumma has now saved 16 penalties in his senior career.
And a reminder that he's won 5/5 penalty shoot-outs. ? pic.twitter.com/GJDGpnQD5k
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 3, 2021
Achraf Hakimi: 5/10
After kicking off his PSG spell strongly, Hakimi has gone cold in recent weeks, as he looks lost in that back four. Despite his average position in the game being that of a winger, the Moroccan failed to influence anything in the final third.
Marquinhos: 5/10
Marquinhos struggled to keep the backline in control as the Leipzig attackers constantly threatened to penetrate the lines. He was all over the place defensively, and his uncharacteristic lunges on challenges defined his sloppiness. He got an assist for the second goal by Georginio Wijnaldum.
Presnel Kimpembe: 3/10
A disastrous performer for PSG on Wednesday, as Kimpembe was all over the place, with Nkunku shredding him to bits. A dreadful performance was compounded after he conceded that late penalty for Szoboszlai to equalise.
Nuno Mendes: 4/10
Mendes was heavily troubled by Nkunku’s displays on his flank, but the Portuguese full-back showed flashes of his talent without really threatening.
Danilo Pereira: 3/10
Danilo Pereira had no control whatsoever in midfield as the Leipzig players ran the show in the centre. He conceded a clumsy penalty in the first half when his side were already trailing, which compounded his abysmal performance.
Idrissa Gueye: 4/10
Another one of PSG’s disappointing performers in midfield. Had no say in proceedings as he played catch-up to Leipzig’s speed on the ball. Luckily for him, Danilo’s abysmal display overshadowed his shortcomings.
Georginio Wijnaldum: 8/10
2 – Georginio Wijnaldum has scored two goals or more in a same game in the Top 5 leagues in all comps for the first time since May 2019, already in Champions League, with Liverpool against Barcelona. Saviour. #RBLPSG pic.twitter.com/aLjeG8SpXQ
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 3, 2021
Wijnaldum returned to his regular form and proved his naysayers wrong by scoring both of PSG’s goals on the evening. The Dutchman’s runs into the box proved crucial, although he was just above average on the ball — good finishes for both strikes.
Angel Di Maria: 4.5/10
There was no reflection of his form from the weekend, as Di Maria struggled to stay relevant in the final third. He was culpable for Leipzig’s first goal after giving the ball away cheaply despite not being overly pressured into doing so.
Kylian Mbappe: 6/10
Mbappe got the assist for the first goal scored by Wijnaldum, but that was about the most promising play from the Frenchman. He failed to provide a focal point when playing the centre-forward role, which hampered PSG’s chances to progress the ball further up the pitch.
Neymar: 7/10
The brightest of PSG’s attacking force on the evening could also be considered Neymar’s best performance this season. He was influential on the ball and constantly troubled the Leipzig defenders, who never got close to the Brazilian.
Have to respect Neymar’s hustle here. Mid shoe tie he has the awareness and grit to stop the pass to the wing. Generational. pic.twitter.com/5ymLDhpsqW
— Banter FC (@BanterFC5) November 3, 2021
SUBSTITUTES
Ander Herrera: N/A
Herrera was sent late to protect PSG’s lead and had very few moments to achieve a rating.
Julian Draxler: N/A
Draxler, much like Herrera, had no sizeable moments to get a rating after coming on late in the game as PSG needed fresh legs to defend their lead.
