Pre-match
Several changes for City, with Zabaleta, Ben Haim, Elano, Sturridge and Jo all starting in place of Richards, SWP, Robinho, Hamann & Benjani. Familiar names to look for for PSG are Mateja Kezman and the excellent Claude Makelele.
The match
It did not take long for fan favourite Elano to make his mark, feeding Danny Sturridge early on and allowing the striker to home in on Landreau in PSG’s goal. The visiting keeper did well twice in quick succession, blocking Sturridge and then parrying Elano’s follow-up shot.
Elano’s Brazilian partner Jo set up Darius Vassell for our next chance eight minutes later, but as he rolled his shot across the face of goal and just wide, the linesman raised a very late flag for offside.
There were some lively exchanges between PSG’s sizeable contingent and the home fans, and things livened up between Dunne & Kezman on the field, with the referee giving both a talking-to after Dunne had objected to the former Chelsea striker’s challenge. Joe Hart also gave the Serbian a piece of his mind seconds later after he had caught the City keeper late, and a bad few minutes were complete when he was booked for a clumsy tackle on Ben Haim.
Neither side created anything in the way of a clear-cut chance, but Pancrate should have done better with his cross from the right on 36 minutes, missing both available players as City’s defence backtracked. Zabaleta’s cross allowed J0o the chance to head back towards goal with three minutes to the break, but the ball looped harmlessly into Landreau’s hands.
The Argentinean right-back went close himself just seconds later after Vassell delayed his pass just enough to roll the ball into his path, the subsequent shot looked to be going in until a late deflection took it wide. The stroke of half-time saw Kezman and Drogba look-a-like Luyindula squander a good break, Ben Haim getting into the right place at the right time to deny them. City broke away and Kompany fired straight at Landreau from long range, the last action of an average first half.
Just seconds of the second half had gone when Elano went to ground, eventually hobbling off to be replaced by Benjani. Luyindula fired a shot straight at Hart that the City keeper had no problem collecting, just before Sturridge went down for some treatment after taking a hefty challenge from Traore. A neat City move seconds later ended when Vassell scooped his shot a long way over with the target begging to be hit.
City were beginning to hit their stride now, and Sturridge was inches away from taking the lead on 61 minutes, his shot from outside the area skimming just wide. PSG broke down to the other end, Luyindula sprang the offside trap but Joe Hart was equal to it, saving with his feet. Ched Evans replaced Jo on 65 minutes.
19 minutes were left on the clock when Luyindula broke away from Garrido to find Hoarau with a cross – but the substitute should have done much better than placing the ball wide from very close range. The lively Luyindula also squandered a good chance a couple of minutes later, firing over from the left hand side of the box. The same player went close twice in the 82nd minute, hassled away from getting a shot in by Dunne in the six yard box, and inches away from touching in a cross seconds later.
The visitors had had the best of the latter part of the game, but City could have tied up the game deep into stoppage timehad Ireland been able to find Benjani with a cross. That was the last meaningful action of the match, and with Twente beating Schalke City were now just a point ahead at the top of Group A with one game to go.
