Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Porto: Hapless Helton gifts Parisiens top spot in Group A - 7M sport

Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Porto: Hapless Helton gifts Parisiens top spot in Group A



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Posted Wednesday, December 05, 2012 by Goal.com

An embarrassing moment from the Brazilian goalkeeper allowed Ezequiel Lavezzi to steal all three points for the Ligue 1 side, who progress to the last 16 as group winners

Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Porto: Hapless Helton gifts Parisiens top spot in Group A

Paris Saint-Germain saw off the challenge of Porto as they recorded a 2-1 victory which saw them top Group A of the Champions League in an entertaining fixture at the Parc des Princes.
The Ligue 1 side raced out of the blocks in the early exchanges, before taking the lead thanks to Thiago Silva's powerful header. The Portuguese giants would soon equalise after a defensive lapse allowed Jackson Martinez to restore parity.

However, the visitors would be undone by an error from their own goalkeeper, who embarrassingly let Ezequiel Lavezzi's weak effort squirm past him. Zlatan Ibrahimovic would later miss from six yards out, though the hosts held on to progress as group winners.

Carlo Ancelotti re-instated the likes of Javier Pastore back into the starting line-up, and the Argentine produced a fine assist for Ibrahimovic, who narrowly sliced his effort wide after just two minutes, as the Parisians aimed to rebound from their malaise over the past week.

The hosts were rather more aggressive in their approach play in the opening stages with Ibrahimovic and Gregory Van der Wiel somehow escaping yellow cards after rash challenges before Ezequiel Lavezzi's angled shot was deflected over in a period of domination for the French side.

Nevertheless, Vitor Pereira's side were patient as they searched for an opener. Martinez, who excelled in the side's reverse fixture against PSG on matchday two, spurned a decent chance after his opportunistic shot was blocked by a last-ditch challenge from Thiago Silva.

Les Parisiens appeared more resolute than the side that lost meekly to Nice in Ligue 1 on Saturday, as the capital club continued testing Helton in the Porto goal. First, Alex's header from a corner was well saved by the goalkeeper, before Ibrahimovic couldn't quite connect with a well-worked Van der Wiel corner as Porto remained defiant under pressure.

It was just before the half-hour when the Portuguese side would finally crack. Nicolas Otamendi's ill-timed tackle on Jeremy Menez earned him a booking, but the ramifications for his side would be far greater as Thiago Silva rose magnificiently to thump home a powerful header in off the crossbar for the game's opening goal.

However, the lead would only last four minutes. Porto raced through on a counter-attack, led by right-back Danilo whose fantastic cross was met by Martinez, as the Colombia international ghosted past the static Alex to head in the equaliser: cue heavy boos from the Parisian faithful inside the Parc des Princes.

The second half commenced in much the same vigour from the French side, as Menez surged through from the left-flank, cutting past a diving Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala before seeing his low effort well blocked by Hilton.

For all of Porto's enterprising resistance, they would once more fall behind to a calamitous error from goalkeeper Helton. Lavezzi held off his marker before his weak shot squirmed under the goalkeeper and humiliatingly crossed the line to hand the hosts the advantage again on 61 minutes.

Pereira's men issued a response, but a glaring chance would subsequently be spurned. Martinez was found in open space before his chip was denied by an on-rushing Sirigu. Then, former Marseille midfielder Lucho Gonzalez couldn't fire the resulting rebound on target.

Late on, the French side's profligate finishing was evident once more as Pastore's fierce strike was spilled by Helton, before Ibrahimovic flashed the ball hopelessly wide, though it didn't matter as Ancelotti's men held on for victory.

Porto's defeat means they lose back-to-back competitive fixtures for the first time since 2009, and finish the group stage in second position. Paris Saint-Germain will enter the last 16 draw as group winners, avoiding the likes of Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund.



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