Paris Saint-Germain recovered from a disastrous start to beat AS Monaco 3-2 away on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League knockout round playoff.
The holders trailed by two goals inside 18 minutes but turned the tie around, with substitute Désiré Doué scoring twice to seal a dramatic comeback victory.
Monaco shocks PSG Early
Monaco stunned the visitors after just 56 seconds when Nuno Mendes misplaced a cross-field pass. Aleksandr Golovin chipped the ball into the box for Folarin Balogun to head home.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 18th minute. Maghnes Akliouche slipped a precise through pass for Balogun to outpace Marquinhos and score again.
PSG were handed a route back when Wout Faes fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but Vitinha saw his penalty saved by Philipp Köhn.
Doue Sparks PSG Comeback
Momentum shifted after Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé went off injured and 20-year-old Doué entered the fray.
He scored with his first touch in the 29th minute after being set up by Bradley Barcola, with VAR dismissing Monaco’s appeals for a foul in the buildup.
On the stroke of halftime, Doué’s powerful strike was parried by Köhn, but Achraf Hakimi reacted quickest to level the score at 2-2.
Red Card Turns The Tide
Monaco’s task grew harder three minutes into the second half when Golovin was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Vitinha. The referee upgraded his yellow card to a red after a VAR review.
PSG dominated thereafter and found the winner in the 67th minute, as Doué rifled home from the edge of the area. Hakimi and Warren Zaïre-Emery both came close to extending the lead late on.
Reaction From Both Camps
“I didn’t feel I had to show something starting on the bench, I tried to play as usual. Tonight it paid off,” Doué said. “Whether it’s a defeat or a victory, it’s always a team effort.”
Monaco captain Denis Zakaria admitted,
“Disappointment is the overriding feeling… We’re going to Paris and trying to win there.”
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