Basel 1 - 2 Paris Saint Germain: Thomas Meunier's late volley earns PSG a place in last 16 of Champions League
Posted Wednesday, November 02, 2016 by PA
Thomas Meunier volleyed home a stunning late winner as Paris St Germain guaranteed their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a dramatic 2-1 win over Basle.
Luca Zuffi looked to have earned a point for the hosts when he conjured an opportunistic 25-yarder in the 76th minute, equalising Blaise Matuidi's opener.
Meunier had a hand in that too, his shot diverted goalwards by Matuidi, but he had something special up his sleeve in the 90th minute as he produced a technically beautiful strike from the edge of the box.
It was hard luck on home goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik, who made a string of important saves to keep his side in the Group A contest.
The Swiss side finished with 10 men, Serey Die earning a second yellow card late on.
The visitors dominated the ball but failed to fashion a clear chance in the first quarter of an hour but the first clear chance fell to the hosts' captain Matias Delgado, who could not beat the alert Alphonse Areola.
That spurred PSG into action with Marco Verratti picking out Edinson Cavani, whose neat chip went over the crossbar.
Verratti went close himself moments later and Cavani netted just as an offside flag appeared to preserve the stalemate.
Basle's forays were less frequent and when Seydou Doumbia did find some running space on the half-hour, the route was defiantly blocked by Thiago Silva.
Silva later received treatment after colliding with his own goalkeeper, and was replaced at the interval by Grzegorz Krychowiak.
By then PSG had finally taken the lead.
After a messily cleared corner, Meunier met the ball at the edge of the box and drilled a low shot into a crowded area. Matuidi was in the right place to divert the shot home via the instep, though even he seemed somewhat surprised.
The second half began with a siege of Vaclik's goal, Lucas Moura and Meunier both forcing saves and Thiago Motta heading fractionally over in a a five-minute period.
Vaclik was increasingly the busiest man on the pitch, blocking from close range in the 64th minute as Angel Di Maria met a Verratti backheel.
Another glorious chance came and went with 15 minutes to go, Motta heading wide after being left alone at a corner, and PSG would pay the price.
Within a matter of seconds Basle drew level, Zuffi spotting Areola off his line and beating him with a supreme left-footed effort.
Areola's perplexed face said everything about the quality of the strike.
Die assisted PSG's cause by picking up cautions in the 78th and 84th minute and the stage was set for Meunier.
Cavani floated the ball across the box where Meunier ignored a packed box to lash home a memorable finish.
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