PSG’s late lapse gives Valencia cause for hope

Valencia 1 Paris Saint-Germain 2

PSG looked on course for a dream result as first-half goals by Argentinian duo Ezequiel Lavezzi and Javier Pastore put Carlo Ancelotti’s men firmly in the driving seat, but their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals suffered a setback in the space of two wild minutes.

First Rami stole in behind the defence to reduce the arrears for Los Che before PSG’s talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off for aiming a stamp at Andres Guardado.

The Swede is now suspended for the return leg along with midfielder Marco Verratti, who picked up his third yellow card of the campaign.

PSG’s late implosion took the shine off an otherwise impressive performance by Ancelotti’s troops.

Certainly the watching David Beckham, who recently joined PSG on a five-month deal but was not in the squad due to a lack of match fitness, will have been encouraged by what he saw.

PSG took the lead after 10 minutes with Lavezzi starting and finishing the move, exchanging passes with Pastore on the edge of the area and advancing beyond the lunging challenge of Ricardo Costa before crashing a powerful finish beyond Vicente Guaita, who should perhaps have done better.

PSG’s second goal arrived two minutes before the break, but again the Valencia goalkeeper will feel he should have done better.

Lucas, having impressed with a couple of surging runs from his own half, gave a demonstration of what he can deliver in the final third as he beat two men on the byline before running into the area and pulling the ball back for Pastore, whose first-time finish went through the legs of Guaita.

Nelson Valdez passed up a glorious chance to get Valencia back into the contest when he stole in ahead of Alex to reach another lofted pass by Costa, but the striker shanked his left-footed finish into the side-netting.

But they didn’t have to wait too long to score — Costa chipped a ball into the box, but the PSG goalkeeper Sirigu stayed on his line, leaving Rami unchallenged to steer the ball to the net.

*Goals from Adam Clayton and Sean Scannell ensured Huddersfield will face Premier League side Wigan in the FA Cup fifth round after they upset Leicester 2-1 in their fourth-round replay last night. Michael Keane was the Leicester goalscorer.

VALENCIA: Guaita, Rami, Joao Pereira, Guardado, Costa, Oliveira (Valdez 46), Feghouli (Viera 83), Banega (Canales 46), Parejo, Facundo Costa, Soldado.

PARIS SG: Sirigu, Sakho, Alex, Maxwell, Jallet, Matuidi, Verratti, Pastore (Armand 88), da Silva Lucas (Chantome 53), Lavezzi (Menez 76), Ibrahimovic.

Referee: P Tagliavento