PSG accept draw after four-goal rally against Amiens
16 February, 2020
French champions Paris Saint-Germain were held to a pulsating 4-4 Ligue 1 draw at struggling Amiens after erasing a three-goal deficit and then concede a stoppage time equaliser on Saturday.
The effect left leaders PSG 13 points clear of second-placed Marseille after manager Thomas Tuchel rested several regular starters before Tuesday's Champions League last 16 first leg against Borussia Dortmund.
The makeshift lineup, with midfielder Ander Herrera playing in an unfamiliar right-back role, looked all at sea in the opening half as goals from Serhou Guirassy, Gael Kakuta and Fousseni Diabate gave 19th-placed Amiens a 3-0 lead.
Guirassy fired Amiens ahead with a crisp fifth-minute finish and Kakuta managed to get 2-0 with a rasping shot from 18 metres.
A huge shock appeared to be on the cards when Diabate capped a jinking run through the middle with a minimal shot that went in off the post, but Herrera pulled one back on the stroke of half-time when he steered in a Julian Draxler corner.
The goal turned the match on its head as a set of headers by centre-back Tanguy Kouassi leveled the score inside opening 20 minutes of the next half.
Amiens were again undone by set pieces as Draxler swung in another corner for Kouassi to go up above his marker and head home. 5 minutes later, Kouassi met Angel Di Maria's cross at the far post to silence the home fans.
With Amiens on the trunk foot, it was no real surprise that PSG grabbed a 4-3 lead in the 74th minute as Mauro Icardi popped up at the far post and tapped in an excellent low cross by Juan Bernat.
But the visitors then missed several gilt-edged chances, with Edinson Cavani, who was looking for his 200th goal for PSG in every competitions, particularly guilty of poor finishing.
His astonishing miss in the dying minutes was punished occasions later at the other end as Guirassy leveled with a fine finish from inside the penalty area after he was subjected to by substitute Quentin Cornette.
Source: www.espn.in