Champions Bayern fall behind to Mbappe goals

2020-21 UEFA Champions League quarter finals first-leg review

Bayern Munich 2 Paris St. Germain 3 – Allianz Arena – Wednesday, 7 April 2021

Twin strikes by Kylian Mbappe helped Paris St Germain beat title holders Bayern Munich in a thrilling Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night.

Bayern were lucky not to be down by another in the 11th minute of play when Mbappe teed up Julian Draxler to fire home, but the former was judged to be marginally offside in the build up to the strike.

Surprisingly, those were the only two shots on target the Parisiennes managed in a first half in which Bayern dominated territorial possession. The PSG defense cracked to rival pressure when Benjamin Pavard's cross was met by an unmarked Choupo-Moting who headed home from twelve yards to make it 1-2 in the 37th minute.

The Bundesliga giants kept up the pressure post the break with Pavard and Jerome Boateng forcing diving saves from Keylor Navas. But the threat of a PSG counter always remained what with the Bayern defense very vulnerable to counterattacks.

They were exposed again as Neymar was denied by the legs of Neuer after fine work from Mbappe. Bayern's attacking class came to the fore when Joshua Kimmich's free-kick into the box was nodded home by a lunging Thomas Muller to draw the scores level on the hour mark.

Bayern put all their attacking might behind an equalizer but the PSG's defense threw themselves in front of everything. David Alaba fired just wide and Muller's attempt came of a standing Navas's legs as PSG notched up a sensational finish at the Allianz Arena, Munich.

Bayern Munich starting XI: Neuer (goal), Pavard, Sule, Alaba, Hernandez, Goretzka, Kimmich, Coman, Muller, Sane, Choupo-Moting.
Subs: Davies, Boateng.

PSG starting XI: Navas (goal), Dagba, Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Diallo, Gueye, Danilo, Di Maria, Neymar, Draxler, Mbappe.
Subs: Herrera, Bakker, Kean, Raphinha.

Man of the match: Kylian Mbappe.

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