PSG Held to Frustrating 1-1 Draw by PSV in Champions League Clash
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) continued their challenging start in the 2024 Champions League after missing multiple crucial opportunities and settling for a 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven.
Luis Enrique’s team put up a strong show at Parc des Princes, but they were unable to take advantage of their chances, and the coach “worried” about their chances of winning the league.
A recurrent feature in PSG’s European campaign has been their inability to finish. They had 26 shots on goal as opposed to PSV’s eight, but they only scored one, through an equalizer in the second half from Achraf Hakimi. Noa Lang of PSV had earlier given the Dutch team the lead with a well-executed goal in the thirty-fourth minute.
PSG’s problems in front of goal persisted despite their dominance of the most of the game, a trend that has been noticeable in recent games. The French champs have only four points from their first three group-stage games after this most recent draw, which makes it more difficult for them to advance to the knockout stages.
After the game, Luis Enrique, the coach, was open about his frustration, acknowledging that his team wanted more. “We played well throughout and were better than PSV,” he told reporters. “It is difficult to accept the result after a game like that, but football is often unfair.” He is worried about more than just this game because PSG has only scored twice in their last five Champions League games, including an own goal.
Last season, PSG’s offensive problems began when they fell 2-0 on aggregate to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals. A developing issue for the club is their failure to complete games, particularly as more difficult games like Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich approach.
In a thrilling finish, Marco Asensio was hauled down in the box, and PSG was given a penalty in injury time. PSG was even more irate when the ruling was reversed following a VAR review. Even worse, PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez ensured his team left with a draw by making a spectacular save from Marquinhos’ header in the closing seconds.
After being rested for PSG’s Ligue 1 encounter and controversially benched against Arsenal, Ousmane Dembele returned to the starting lineup but struggled in front of goal. In the first half, the French winger squandered two good opportunities. When Dembele arrived unmarked at the back post in the 19th minute, his half-volley struck the crossbar. When he fired over the bar following a deft assist from Joao Neves, another huge opportunity went begging.
Despite PSG’s dominance, PSV Eindhoven, who are presently undefeated in the Eredivisie, shown tenacity. This draw in Paris is an important outcome for the Dutch champions, who had previously fallen to Juventus and drawn with Sporting in their initial Champions League games. PSV coach Peter Bosz remarked, “I’m proud to leave here with a point because the players did a great job tonight.”
With a difficult schedule ahead of them, PSG’s chances of winning their first Champions League crown are in doubt. Their ability to advance in this year’s competition will be determined by their next two games against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid. But for the time being, their biggest challenge is still their inability to complete opportunities.
