Match report
Here’s Suzanne Wrack’s report from Parc des Princes. Thanks for joining me. Bye!
Champions League group stage: Chelsea will be the WSL’s only representative in the 16-team draw, which takes place on Friday. Here are the pots – Benfica’s game isn’t finished yet, but they’re 11-0 up on aggregate, so I think we can call it.
Pot 1: Barcelona, Lyon, Bayern Munich, Chelsea.
Pot 2: PSG, Slavia Prague, Real Madrid, Rosengård.
Pot 3: St Pölten, Benfica, Häcken, Roma.
Pot 4: Ajax, Paris FC, Eintracht Frankfurt, Brann.
“Maybe deluded as United were second best, but felt like that Galton goal could have been a turning point for the game,” writes Christa Orchard. “Not sure why the United players didn’t protest more with the referee.”
I guess it wouldn’t have changed her mind, but United can certainly feel hard done by – and you wonder what VAR would have done, had it been in use. On MUTV, Siobhan Chamberlain – a former keeper – calls the decision “very, very soft”.
Full time! PSG 3-1 Manchester United (4-2 on aggregate)
PSG clear, and that’s that. The hosts advance to the group stages, and Manchester United’s first European campaign ends with an early exit.
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95 mins: Time ticking away as PSG deal with a long ball and then close Geyse down. Galton’s effort is blocked, and United have a last-gasp corner.
94 mins: Toone hits the post! A long ball ricochets into Ella Toone’s path, and her acrobatic effort clatters the post. It’s not going to be United’s night. For PSG, Ana Vitória replaces Baltimore, scorer of that superb third goal.
93 mins: The away fans still believe, a chant of “United!” filling the nervous silence around the rest of the ground. Still, the visitors need two goals in three minutes to avoid elimination.
91 mins: Zelem’s diagonal pass finds Galton, who turns and shoots from eight yards – but it’s straight at Kiedrzynek!
90 mins: We’ll have six minutes of added time. PSG really haven’t created anything since going 3-1 up, but they’re holding on.
88 mins: Time running out for United, but they get a free kick that Le Tissier can loft in from deep. Rachel Williams hares after it, but it’s easy enough for Kiedrzynek to claim.
86 mins: Chawinga’s day is done, having created both goals for Martens. She is replaced by Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
85 mins: Geyse is upended just outside the area, but the referee waves play on, curiously. Garcia is then flagged offside incorrectly, adding to United’s ire with the officials.
“Just wanted to say that Häcken beat Twente and are through to the group stage! So happy for the team! And just amazing that Felicia Schröder scored the winner, she’s only 16” writes Håkan Burden.
82 mins: Rachel Williams, who has a penchant for late goals, is on for Riviere as Skinner goes for broke. Earps is able to carry on but still looks to be in some discomfort.
81 mins: Zelem with another chance to deliver from a corner – but the short ball is intercepted. At the other end, Earps is down with cramp. Skinner takes the chance to gather his players for a final team talk.
79 mins: Accepted wisdom before this game was that United would need to soak up pressure and be clinical on the break. In the end, it’s PSG who have done that – United have had more shots on goal, and more of the ball, particularly in this second half.
77 mins: Gah, another chance goes begging for United here. García pounces on a defensive error but with Geyse alongside her, she plays a hesitant pass and the Brazilian is crowded out by three PSG defenders. United simply have to take one of these opportunities soon.
75 mins: That disallowed goal, and a subsequent spell where Kiedrzynek stayed on the deck, have sapped some of United’s momentum. Geyse gets things moving again, playing a one-two with García and forcing a corner. It’s powered towards Turner at the back post, but collected by the keeper.
72 mins: Martens is replaced by Ramona Bachmann, and isn’t happy with being hauled off while on a hat-trick. By the way, the PSG manager – Jocelyn Prêcheur – replaced his father, Gérard Prêcheur, in the role last month.
No goal! Galton's header is disallowed
71 mins: After trying to unpick the PSG defence, United go for the aerial route – and Galton gets in front of Kiedrzynek to head Zelem’s long ball home! But wait – the whistle is blown for a foul on the keeper. Replays suggest that’s a harsh decision – Galton didn’t appear to make any contact – Kiedrzynek may have got away with one there.
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69 mins: Oof! Zelem goes low for the near post, and Kiedrzynek has to be on high alert to tip the ball behind. The corner doesn’t come to anything, but United are still threatening.
68 mins: More fantastic close control from Geyse, who turns Geyoro and wins the free kick, a couple of yards outside the D.
67 mins: At the other end, Chawinga bursts clear down the left and sends in a dangerous cross, but Le Tissier is on hand to head away.
66 mins: The two substitutes are involved straight away, García holding up well before a one-two with Miyazawa – but PSG have numbers back to crowd their opponents out.
65 mins: It’s now a very attacking line-up for the visitors, but needs must with 25 minutes to find two goals. On the other hand, all three of PSG’s goals have come on the counter, so a balance is required.
64 mins: Grace Geyoro, who headed that corner away, needs treatment but is OK to continue. United make changes, with Lucía García and Hinata Miyazawa replacing Naalsund and Malard.
62 mins: Geyse’s near-post shot is deflected behind. From a short corner, Zelem’s ball in is cleared, but the captain gets it back. Her next ball in is just flicked away from Naalsund at the far post – and the subsequent corner is cleared.
60 mins: Geyse, United’s best attacking threat by a distance, gets space for another shot but fires straight at Kiedrzynek.
59 mins: A goalmouth scramble at the other end leads to a United corner, but Zelem can’t get the delivery right.
GOAL! PSG 3-1 Man Utd (4-2 agg) Baltimore 58'
This might be the game – and it’s a fine solo goal from Sandy Baltimore! From Karchaoui’s pass, she takes on Blundell down the right, cuts in to the byline and with no options in the middle, lifts the ball over Earps and in off the far post. I’m not sure if she meant it, but that’s an outrageous finish either way.
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55 mins: Another decent chance for United, with Geyse cutting inside and blasting her shot at Kiedrzynek. PSG break, but the tireless Chawinga eventually runs out of space, and Earps collects.
“PSG must be popular on social media because they’re getting plenty of Liekes.” Thank you for your service, Peter Oh.
54 mins: Chawinga races on to a long pass from what looks an offside position – but it’s a nervous few seconds for the United defence before the assistant raises her flag.
52 mins: Clumsy control from Zelem, but the ball hits the corner flag (we love to see it) and United scramble away for a PSG throw. Chawinga, a constant thorn in her opponents’ side, advances into the area but is penalised for a shirt pull.
50 mins: Well, that was a lively start – and United almost strike straight back! A lovely ball from Leah Galton starts the move, and the ball is cut back to Blundell, whose curling shot is tipped wide by Kiedrzynek. United are very much still in this game.
GOAL! PSG 2-1 Manchester United (2-2 agg) Martens 48'
Oh, wow. A dream start to the second half for United is followed by a nightmare response to getting level. Chawinga gets free down the left again, shakes off Le Tissier and cuts back to Martens, who drills her shot beyond Earps!
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GOAL! PSG 1-1 Manchester United (2-2 agg) Naalsund 47'
Oh, wow! United are level on the night, and on aggregate! Geyse caused havoc down the right before pulling back a low cross, fired home by Lisa Naalsund. Game on!
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Second half
We’re back, and with no changes. Élisa De Almeida, who looked to be struggling with a knee problem before half time, is able to continue.
Catch up with the latest from the Women’s Super League with our weekly review.
Half time! PSG 1-0 Manchester United
The hosts are good value for their lead, earned when Lieke Martens struck on the rebound after 18 minutes. United have been second-best but have had chances, with Ella Toone firing wide late in the half. A goal for the visitors could change everything. Back soon.
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46 mins: More good work from Geyse makes space for Naalsund, whose reverse pass rolls beyond Ella Toone.
45 mins: Two added minutes.
44 mins: De Almeida got back well to put Toone under pressure, but appears to have hurt her knee in the process. At the other end, Malard’s challenge on Karchaoui goes unpunished, much to the PSG wing-back’s annoyance.
42 mins: From nowhere, United get their best chance of the half – but Ella Toone can’t take it! De Almeida’s misplaced pass lands to Geyse, who waits and plays the ball into Toone’s path. From a narrow angle, she takes a touch but drags her low shot wide of the far post.
41 mins: Chawinga continues to menace the United defence, and Riviere is lucky her lunge in the penalty area doesn’t connect with the forward. Mary Earps flaps at Chawinga’s cross but gets enough on the ball, and United clear …
39 mins: Malard involved again, getting past Geyoro in midfield and winning a free-kick in a promising position – but they can’t find a gap in this sturdy PSG defence.
38 mins: Malard has a shot on the half-turn, some 25 yards out. It’s well hit but bends away from the near post.
37 mins: Naalsund’s cross is cleared and as PSG counter, Karchaoui has acres of space on the left. Her cross is overhit, and almost catches Earps off her line but drops on to the roof of the net. United’s narrow setup is giving both PSG wing-backs far too much space.
Wolfsburg are out! A second Paris FC goal deep in stoppage time seals a 2-0 win in Germany, and a 5-3 aggregate win. Paris FC, third in Ligue 1 last season, have beaten Arsenal and Wolfsburg to earn their place in the group stages!
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35 mins: United concede a free kick, around 30 yards out and central. Baltimore’s attempted cross from deep evades the centre-backs who have jogged upfield, and goes behind for a goal kick.
33 mins: Another last-ditch clearance stops Baltimore’s low cross from finding a teammate after she got ahead of Blundell. United are hanging on a little now, but Geyoro’s cross is headed over by Martens.
32 mins: Karchaoui looks to play in Chawinga but Riviere gets a boot in to clear for a corner. United get it away but PSG come again …
30 mins: Groenen’s attempted back pass is underhit, but Malard isn’t able to get onto it in time. United win a corner, Zelem’s delivery swung into a dangerous area, but PSG are able to clear.
27 mins: Korbin Albert, who is switching with Karchaoui occasionally and popping up on the left side, swings in a cross which Earps claims. The tempo has slowed a little as United try to regroup.
25 mins: Geyse is caught offside as United try to break away. Just to clarify, it was Lieke Martens who scored PSG’s opener – my feed initially credited it to Karchaoui.
23 mins: A spell of possession for PSG’s defenders, before Clare Hunt skips past Geyse’s challenge and again looks for Chawinga with the long ball. It’s overhit this time, and although Geyse stays down for a moment, she looks OK to carry on.
21 mins: Lieke Martens is flagged offside. Over in Germany, Wolfsburg are still a goal down to Paris FC and five minutes away from going out.
20 mins: Geyse causes more problems for the PSG defence and picks out Naalsund, who lays the ball off rather than try to turn and shoot, allowing the hosts to get back in numbers.
19 mins: The pace of Tabitha Chawinga, chasing a long ball down the left, did for the United defence and allowed the striker space to shoot. From a tight angle, Earps does well to save with her feet but the rebound is collected by Martens, who takes a touch and blasts the rebound inside the near post!
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GOAL! PSG 1-0 Man Utd (2-1 on agg) – Martens 18'
An early goal felt inevitable in such an open start, and it’s the hosts who have it, Lieke Martens finishing well on the rebound!
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15 mins: United go straight on the counter again with Millie Turner kickstarting the move with a move upfield. Leah Galton finds space on the left, but cuts back to the well-marked Geyse, when perhaps she should have shot …
14 mins: From a PSG free kick, a loose crossfield pass lands to Karchaoui, who wriggles past a defender before her low shot is charged down.
12 mins: … which is deflected beyond Toone, sprawled on the edge of the area, allowing PSG to break. Riviere is back to cover, Earps launches and the ball is worked to Geyse, whose shot from a tight angle isn’t far over. End-to-end stuff, early doors.
11 mins: Defensive worries there for United, but they look capable of troubling PSG at the other end. Blundell links up nicely with Galton, whose cross evades Toone at the far post. Corner …
9 mins: A real let-off for United here! A long ball upfield towards Chawinga, who is well covered by Le Tissier and Riviere – but she beats both for pace and as Earps charges out, she takes it round the keeper. A goal looks certain but Chawinga’s left-footed finish is underhit and Le Tissier is able to get back and block the shot!
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8 mins: Sandy Baltimore has another run at the United defence, but can’t connect with a teammate. It’s been a very up-tempo start.
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7 mins: Geyse gets on the ball and although she’s isolated, is happy to keep running at defenders before finally being closed down on the edge of the area by De Almeida.
6 mins: Baltimore looks likely to give Hannah Blundell a busy night, and gets beyond the left-back to lift in a cross that’s headed away by Jayde Riviere.
4 mins: Geyse turns her marker and feeds the ball left to Toone, whose cross is cut off. PSG break, with Le Guilly’s deep cross cleared away with numbers in the box.
2 mins: United’s first attack ends when Toone is penalised for a foul. At the other end, the crowd whistle Mary Earps for taking a few touches before passing out from the back.
Kick-off
After a moment of silence for victims of the ongoing violence in Israel and Palestine, we begin. There is a sizeable crowd in the Parc des Princes, making plenty of noise.
The teams are out at the Parc des Princes, and kick-off is imminent.
A change in shape tonight for United with Gabby George out; the defender has cruelly suffered a torn ACL for the second time in her career. Maya Le Tissier drops into central defence, while Geyse is preferred up front to Lucía García.
For PSG, Clare Hunt replaces Oriane Jean-François, who was injured in the first leg. Uefa’s official team sheet shows Sandy Baltimore and Sakina Karchaoui operating as wing-backs in a 3-5-2 formation.
Plenty of games already under way tonight – and one scoreline in particular catches the eye. Paris FC are 1-0 up at Wolfsburg, and leading 4-3 on aggregate. The Ligue 1 side also missed a penalty in the first half. Last year’s finalists need a response or they are going out before the group stage …
Some excellent pre-match reading here, as PSG’s new star striker, Tabitha Chawinga, talks to Osasu Obayiuwana for our weekly Moving the Goalposts newsletter.
Team news
Paris Saint-Germain (3-5-2): Kiedrzynek; Le Guilly, De Almeida, Hunt; Baltimore, Albert, Groenen, Geyoro (c), Karchaoui; Martens, Chawinga.
Replacements: Picaud, Samoura, Payne, Katoto, Bachmann, Fazer, Calligaris, Vangsgaard, Tounkara, Ana Vitória, Traoré, Elimbi Gilbert.
Manchester United (4-3-3): Earps; Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell; Naalsund, Zelem (c), Toone; Geyse, Malard, Galton.
Replacements: Middleton-Patel, Tullis-Joyce, Guerrero, Ladd, Evens, L García, Miyazawa, Parris, Williams.
Preamble
Manchester United are a club with big ambitions in the women’s game, but just getting to the Champions League group stages this season will be a big achievement. Paired with twice-beaten finalists PSG in a brutally tough play-off, they will be second-leg underdogs at the Parc des Princes tonight.
Marc Skinner’s side showed enough fight in the first leg, emerging with a 1-1 draw, to show an upset is entirely possible. “We have to go in and defend as a team,” the United manager has said this week. “They will create chances … we need to use our chances as much as we can.” It’s a formula that worked at home, United getting a draw despite PSG outshooting them 16-7, and 7-2 in shots on target.
This competition will surely expand in future, and the teams who finish second in the WSL and Ligue 1 Féminine won’t be meeting often before the group stages. More reason, then, to enjoy what feels like a throwback European tie with a sense of real jeopardy. Just ask Arsenal, beaten by PSG’s neighbours Paris FC in the previous round, about the dangers of these play-offs.
The star-studded hosts will expect to progress tonight, but are up against ambitious opponents who refuse to be written off. And what better way to announce yourselves on the European scene than by taking out one of its biggest names? Kick-off is 8pm in Paris, 7pm BST.
