For the round of 16 first leg, Paris Saint-Germain faced the Swedish club Linköping. After having undergone some meeting early in the first period, the Parisian women will regain control of the game and win a 2-0 victory, which was not so obvious that it came to fruition.
It is an unprecedented opponent for Parisiennes in the Champions League. An unknown opponent but rather badly in recent years after the departure of several players executives of the team, like Pernille Harder (2017) and a fifth place in the standings currently in the league, far behind the club. Andrea Norheim, of Pitea. On the other side, the PSG did not feel either in recent matches, despite the hat-trick of Katoto against Metz after being dominated for a long time in the score. A match that would then allow to judge both teams in the face of adversity they know.
Paris cash and recoup
After suffering the first ten minutes against a Swedish team surly and combative, the Parisian - just before the quarter of an hour of play - take the hand, but have trouble concentrating and see a way out to score. But as usual, Marie-Antoinette Katoto wants to make the difference and weigh on the opposing defense. At the image of this strike (15th) who shaves the transverse!
Linkoping has a good opportunity to open the scoring, but this low center for Lina Hurtig (17th) is not cut thanks to the good marking of Dudek. Then it will be necessary to have the saving intervention of Christiane Endler with this ball countered, on this strike of Maanum (29th) to avoid the goal for Paris. PSG tries to find the flaw, like this shot Diani (36th), which is totally unscrewed!
By putting pressure on Linkoping, the Parisian women will eventually win. And this center was already a first step. Katoto in the box gives his ball to the penalty box for Diani (39th), but the ball ends on the crossbar. Right after that, Katoto (42) opened the scoring, taking Geyoro's perfect cross and sending him from the left to the back of the net 0-1! A realism of the Parisian, with the intelligence and precision of PSG midfielder.
Linkoping did not react
If Paris is doing well in the first half, Linkoping can always come back with only one goal to catch up with. But the opportunities to see this scenario come true diminish with time and force is to note that the Swedes are not there, neither in the psychology of the game, nor in the impact. Linkoping does not seem to want to play in the quarter.
At the Paris break gets a good opportunity to break, but the center of the ground in the box is not cut. The ball is recovered by Geyoro (46th) and the Parisienne is shoved on his wheel but the penalty is not whistled by the referee. Just after that, and all the while the rise of Andrine Hegerberg (55th) - who seems to have finally made his mark this season at PSG - misses the break with his shot countered by the adversary!
Katoto takes the lead, with this shot on this good center Diani, which will be too crushed to worry the keeper of Linkoping, Julia Nyström (61). We find Hegerberg with this center low soil, too late, the right shot from Katoto (63) is deflected for a corner. This follows the free kick of Wang at the back post, and the head of Geyoro (67) who finished small net!
In the last quarter of an hour, everything is going on. Maanum (73rd) tries a far shot in the final solution, which completely flies over the frame. The difficulty of finding the fault will be maintained for Paris until the 80th minute, with this strike Wang deflected by a defender of Linkoping in his own goal 0-2! The saving break for Paris! At the very end of the match, former Parisian Kosovare Asllani (89) was on the verge of narrowing the score before the second leg, but her shot went all the way to Endler.
A match won in pain, but how important before the reception of Linkoping next week to Jean Bouin for Parisian Olivier Echouafni.
Match sheet
UEFA Women's Champions League - Round of 16 first leg
LINKÖPING - PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN: 0-2 (0-1)
Location: Linköping Arena (Linköping)
Goals: Katoto (42) and Wang (80)
LINKÖPING: Nystrom, Jensen, Lantz, Kildemoes, Hurtig (Almqvist, 90th + 4), Lennartsson, Angeldal, Oskarsson (Landstrom, 46th), Maanum, Ghermezic (Alidou, 87th).
Coach: H. Jensen.
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN: Endler, Glas, Daiane, Formiga, Hegerberg (Zamanian, 86th), Wang Shuang (Diallo, 90th + 2), Dudek, Geyoro, Diani (Pekel, 77th), Morroni, Katoto.
Coach: Olivier Echouafni.
Dounia MESLI