Chelsea’s hopes of advancing from the Champions League quarter-finals hung by a thread after Paris Saint-Germain claimed a convincing first leg win at the Parc des Princes.
Eden Hazard’s penalty had given the Blues a potentially vital away goal, but Javier Pastore’s brilliant stoppage-time solo goal, added to earlier strikes from Ezequiel Lavezzi and a David Luiz own goal, saw PSG take a two-goal advantage into next week’s second leg at Stamford Bridge.
PSG, unbeaten in their previous 28 European home games, began with a bang and took a fourthminute lead when one of the three strikers Mourinho had highlighted could be the difference in the contest struck a fine half-volley.
It was Lavezzi – rather than Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Edinson Cavani – who fired into the roof of the net after a poor headed clearance from John Terry.
Chelsea equalised before the interval when Hazard – courted by PSG – converted a penalty after Oscar was fouled by Thiago Silva.
Hazard also hit the post before half-time and PSG were denied a spot-kick when Cavani tumbled under Gary Cahill’s aerial challenge.
Torres replaced Schurrle after 60 minutes, but no sooner had he joined the action than Chelsea were behind again as Lavezzi’s free-kick was swung in menacingly and bundled into the net by David Luiz.
Ibrahimovic, still chasing a first Champions League triumph, departed clutching his right hamstring with more than 20 minutes remaining – but Pastore ensured the night and potentially the tiewould end in PSG’s favour, beating Petr Cech at his near post after a mazy run.
Afterwards, defender Gary Cahill admitted Chelsea face a tough task to reach the semi-finals as he lamented Pastore’s “horrible” late goal.
“It’s a sloppy goal and unlike us. It’s a big blow at 2-1. It was a horrible time to concede,” the England defender said. “It was difficult to come here; 2-1 would have been okay to take to Stamford Bridge. It’s devastating.”
Cahill’s boss Jose Mourinho was more scathing in his assessment of the defending. “He (Cahill) says sloppy. I say ridiculous,” he added. “We played against a great team, full of good players especially attacking players. You would expect them to score fantastic goals. Not the goals they scored.
“We lose the first goal in an easy position and we assist the striker. Nobody in second goal was there for a crucial position. The second goal one of my players scores an own goal, it’s unlucky, but the way the team positioned themselves defensively was not the right one. Finally the third goal was sloppy, Gary uses that word, but for me, ridiculous.”
Mourinho appeared angry with striker Torres too, after he came on after an hour. The Spaniard replaced Andre Schurrle, who had been fairly ineffective in an unaccustomed lone striker’s role, but Mourinho was not willing to defend his initial formation.
“Don’t ask me about that,” he said. “I change with 1-1 because I thought Fernando could gaive us more depth than Andre.
“With Andre the team had good control and possession, he was dropping deep. I thought Fernando could give us a bit more.”
But the Portuguese boss refused to completely rule out a comeback, adding: “It is a difficult job but not impossible. We are not a team full of talent to score goals, especially at this level. But you never know.”
Man of the match
Ezequiel Lavezzi
Took his goal beautifully and his dangerous freekick forced Luiz to put through his own goal. A constant threat with his pace on the break. Totally upstaged Ibrahimovic and Cavani in PSG’s big money forward line.
