PSG 2-2 Napoli: Angel Di Maria's last minute stunner denies Napoli win

Relive all the action from the close-fought Group C encounter

Who have the English clubs drawn in the Champions League?

Big-spending Paris St Germain avoided a defeat that could have derailed their Champions League campaign when Angel Di Maria curled in a delightful stoppage-time equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw at home to Napoli on Wednesday.

Napoli went ahead in the Group C game with a Lorenzo Insigne goal in the 29th minute before PSG, who have won their opening 10 games in Ligue 1, equalised when Mario Rui put through his own goal in the 61st minute.

An opportunist goal by Dries Mertens put Napoli back in front in the 77th minute but they were denied a shock win when Di Maria collected the ball on the edge of the area and curled a stunning effort past David Ospina in the third minute of stoppage time.

Dries Mertens celebrates after scoring Napoli’s second (Getty)

The drew left Napoli with five points from three games and PSG on four with Liverpool top with six. Defeat for the French side would have left them three points adrift of the leading pair.

It was a cruel finale for Ospina, who had kept PSG at bay with several outstanding saves.

Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti was returning to the Parc des Princes for the first time since leading Bayern Munich to a 3-0 defeat there last September. He was sacked by the Germans the following day.

PSG created a flurry of early chances, the best falling to Edinson Cavani when he was sent clear of the Napoli defence only for Ospina to block the Uruguayan’s effort.

Napoli’s first dangerous foray upfield nearly ended in a goal as Mertens thumped the ball against the crossbar from an inviting Mario Rui cross.

Angel Di Maria’s superb strike denied Napoli an away win (Getty)

In the next attack, Jose Callejon curled a ball behind the PSG defence and into the path of Insigne, who gently flicked his shot over Alphonse Areola.

Relive all the action below:

Ospina then made another one-on-one save, this time foiling Kylian Mbappe.

The Colombian was also busy after the break and he blocked a low Neymar shot and then tipped a Thomas Meunier header over the bar but he was left powerless when Mario Rui slid in and diverted Meunier’s low cross into the net.

Mertens put Napoli back in front, reacting quickly to fire past Areola after Fabian Ruiz’s shot hit PSG captain Marquinhos and landed at his feet.

The visitors were heading for top spot until Di Maria’s goal threw the group wide open and provided a fitting end to an enthralling match.

REUTERS

[24 October 2018 16:34 · Jack Watson]

Welcome!

Good evening and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of this evening's Champions League coverage. We'll be bringing you live updates from Barcelona vs Inter Milan and PSG vs Napoli.

Barcelona will be without Lionel Messi, who is injured and will miss three weeks of action, including El Clasico, and that is bad news for Tottenham. Mauricio Pochettino's side are relying on Barcelona get maximum points against Inter Milan to keep them in the race for second place after losing against them at the San Siro. 

[24 October 2018 17:09 · Jack Watson]

Ancelotti better prepared for PSG return

Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti is in a much better frame of mind than on his last trip to Paris St Germain when a 3-0 defeat led to him being sacked as Bayern Munich coach just over a year ago.

The 59-year-old was fired the day after that defeat, having had only one full season in charge, and told reporters on Tuesday that he felt before that game that only half the team had faith in him.

"Many things have changed since then, PSG have changed coach for example, whereas at Munich the problems have still not been resolved," he said.

"My mood has changed a lot. Last year when I came here, I felt I had the trust of only four or five players, now I feel I have the confidence of all the players and everyone around the team. That has changed my frame of mind completely."

Ancelotti was appointed my Napoli in May, returning to Italian football after a nine-year absence. During that time, he spent two seasons at PSG, winning one Ligue 1 title.

"I have good memories of my time here, I improved my knowledge," he said.

Napoli lead Group C with four points from two games, one ahead of Liverpool and PSG before Wednesday's games.

Reuters

[24 October 2018 18:53 · Jack Watson]

Team news!

PSG vs Napoli

Napoli XI vs. PSG: Ospina; Maksimovic, Albiol, Koulibaly, Mario Rui; Allan, Fabián Ruiz, Hamsík, Callejón; Mertens, Insigne.

PSG XI vs. Napoli: Aréola; Meunier, Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Bernat; Verratti, Rabiot; Mbappé, Neymar, Di María; Cavani.

[24 October 2018 18:57 · Jack Watson]

Team news 

Inter Milan vs Barcelona

Inter XI vs. Barcelona: Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Skriniar, Miranda, Asamoah; Brozovic, Vecino, B. Valero; Candreva, Icardi, Perisic.

Barcelona XI vs. Inter: Ter Stegen; S. Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Busquets, Arthur, Rakitic; Rafinha, Suarez, Coutinho.

[24 October 2018 19:49 · Jack Watson]

Full time

PSV 2-2 Tottenham

It's all finished in the Netherlands and Tottenham's Champions League future is looking very bleak indeed.

[24 October 2018 20:01 · Jack Watson]

We're off!

We're underway in Paris and Barcelona, two top European destinations.

Stay tuned for the latest live updates from PSG vs Napoli and Barcelona vs Inter Milan

[24 October 2018 20:03 · Jack Watson]

2: So close for PSG!

Mbappe does so well against Koulibaly and he squares the ball to Cavani and Neymar in the middle. Cavani is better placed and is about to score, but Neymar gets in his way and the pair fire combine to fire the ball wide. 

[24 October 2018 20:07 · Jack Watson]

6: Marquinhos is in the book for a very tasty challenge on Mertens, he certainly left his mark as he dragged his studs along the back of the Napoli forwards legs. It'll be a long 80 minutes or so for the defender.

[24 October 2018 20:10 · Jack Watson]

10: Barcelona have started well in the absence of their man main against Inter Milan. Coutinho, who joined the Italian club in 2008, has been the go-to man for the home side in Messi's absence. 

Inter clearly feel they can get at Barcelona with crosses from wide areas and earn themselves a corner, but this comes to nothing. 

 

[24 October 2018 20:15 · Jack Watson]

PSG 0-0 Napoli

13: Neymar's corner is headed on at the near post and finds Mbappe with space to bring the ball under control. He takes a touch and fires a low shot into the side netting. He had so much time to do better, a real let-off for the Italian side.