Paris Saint-Germain Secure Vital Draw Against Newcastle United, Keeping Last 16 Hopes Alive
Kylian Mbappé’s 98th-minute penalty salvaged a crucial 1-1 draw for Paris Saint-Germain against Newcastle United on Tuesday, maintaining the French club’s position for potential qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League. The result leaves Newcastle teetering on the edge of a group-stage exit after initially looking poised for victory.
Newcastle, who dominated with a 4-1 win in their previous encounter, appeared set to secure another three points in the Group F clash, thanks to Alexander Isak’s 25th-minute opener.
PSG, seemingly out of ideas, were gifted a lifeline in injury time when VAR intervened, awarding a penalty for a Tino Livramento handball in the box. Mbappé seized the opportunity and converted, allowing PSG to cling onto second place in the group, trailing behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, who secured a 3-1 victory over AC Milan.
With one group game remaining, PSG can secure their spot in the last 16 with a win against Dortmund. Meanwhile, Newcastle’s hopes hang in the balance, requiring a victory at home against Milan and a PSG slip-up.
“I feel it is a poor decision,” expressed a frustrated Newcastle manager Eddie Howe regarding the contentious penalty. “It is hugely frustrating for us because at that moment you know how little time there is left in the game, but there is nothing we can do about it now.”
Despite the disappointment, Howe’s side remains in contention, avoiding elimination with the draw. For PSG, the late equalizer averts the threat of an early exit from the Champions League in the Qatar era.
“We should have won, without a doubt. I think it was a very complete performance from us,” PSG coach Luis Enrique remarked. “We were better than Newcastle, but that’s football.” Enrique, however, claimed not to have seen the crucial penalty incident, stating, “I don’t dedicate myself to looking at VAR decisions. I am only dedicated to improving my team.”
In a season marked by Champions League struggles, PSG found themselves on the brink of elimination before Mbappé’s late heroics. The French forward, donning the captain’s armband in Marquinhos’ absence, struggled to impact the game but secured his team’s fate with his 17th goal of the season.
Despite a solid defensive display from Newcastle, PSG had opportunities, with goalkeeper Nick Pope making crucial saves, and the visitors squandering chances of their own. The match was not without controversy, as VAR decisions played a pivotal role, including the contentious penalty that decided the fate of both teams.
With the group stage nearing its conclusion, the Champions League drama continues to unfold, setting the stage for a thrilling climax to determine which teams will advance to the prestigious last 16.
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