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 20:19 · Jack Watson]

PSG 0-0 Napoli

17: Mbappe touches the ball into Cavani's path and PSG are in on goal. The forward fires a tame effort low at Ospina and he tips it around the post. The corner is delivered to the near post and the Uruguay international flicks a header from the front post wide. 

[24 October 2018 20:20 · Jack Watson]

Barcelona 0-0 Inter Milan

17: Icardi shows off his incredible movement again by making a late run to the near post and tries to lift the ball over Ter Stegen from a low cross but the Barcelona goalkeeper is equal to his antics. A good break from the visitors.

[24 October 2018 20:21 · Jack Watson]

Barcelona 0-0 Inter Milan

18: What a save!

Barcelona come so close to taking the lead as Lenglet glances a head from a corner towards goal but Handanovic gets down well and clears the ball off his leg. 

[24 October 2018 20:25 · Jack Watson]

PSG 0-0 Napoli

23: Off the post!

A great low cross from Callejon finds Mertens at the front post and he cannons a first time effort off the crossbar. It was far to easy for the left-back to accelerate down the wing, and as for the marking, well there was no PSG player anywhere near him.

[24 October 2018 20:27 · Jack Watson]

PSG 0-0 Napoli

26: Hamsik collects the ball in the middle after Neymar loses possession and Napoli break. The ball is worked to the right and Callejon cuts a right-footed shot to the near post but Areola is equal to his effort. 

[24 October 2018 20:29 · Jack Watson]

PSG 0-1 Napoli

27: The match winner against Liverpool comes up with the goods against PSG. Jose Callejon's curling ball in behind the defence is collected by Lorenzo Insigna and he clips it over the on-rushing Areola and into the net. A lovely team goal, take note PSG.

The home side have had several warnings but did not adjust their defence accordingly, it's a well-deserved lead. 

[24 October 2018 20:35 · Jack Watson]

Barcelona 1-0 Inter Milan

Luis Suarez lifts one of the best crosses you will ever see (tonight) and Rafinha times his run to guide the ball beyond Handanovic and open the scoring. The ball from Suarez is just incredible, he takes out the entire defence and cuts the pass to the only part of the box that Rafinha can score from. Outstanding stuff.

The Brazilian, who is replacing Messi tonight, does not celebrate out of respect of the six months he spent on loan in Milan. Justified? Not for me. Go nuts. 

[24 October 2018 20:39 · Jack Watson]

PSG 0-1 Napoli 

Here's that goal

[24 October 2018 20:40 · Jack Watson]

PSG 0-1 Napoli

Neymar produces a couple of step-overs and feeds the ball to Mbappe, who is though on goal. He touches it into his path than fires a low shot straight at Ospina. The French side are making chances, but are unable to finish any of them off. They're three points behind Liverpool and four away from Napoli, as it stands...

[24 October 2018 20:45 · Jack Watson]

Barcelona 1-0 Inter Milan

Vecino goes close to drawing Inter Milan level with a goal that would surely have won the goal of the season competition. Pique heads a lofted pass into a dangerous area on the edge of the box and Vecino steams onto the ball and slams it at goal, it's a slow riser and just edges over the bar. Think Dejan Stankovic, that kind of stuff.