Chelsea's hopes of advancing from the Champions League quarterfinals
hang by a thread after Paris St 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.
Chelsea, the 2012
European champions, were looking to book their place in a seventh
semi-final in 11 campaigns but started without a recognised striker.
With
Samuel Eto'o injured, Jose Mourinho selected Andre Schurrle as a 'false
nine', appearing to finally lose patience with Fernando Torres.
PSG,
unbeaten in their previous 28 European home games, began with a bang
and took a fourth-minute 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 turmbled 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 tie would end in PSG's favour, beating Petr
Cech at his near post after a mazy run.
Two changes were
made to the Chelsea line-up following the loss at Crystal Palace which
saw Mourinho concede the Premier League title chase was over.
Ramires
and Willian replaced the ineligible Nemanja Matic and Torres, whose
place at the focal point of the attack was taken by Schurrle.
The
Germany international performed the same role against Manchester United
last August in a dour goalless draw and Mourinho would have been
content for a similar result.
That possibility was soon
extinguished as Ibrahimovic robbed Luiz and Terry's weak header from
Blaise Matuidi's cross fell for Lavezzi, who hit an exquisite
half-volley into the roof of Cech's net.
Chelsea were
struggling to get hold of the ball, giving it away freely, and a poor
Schurrle corner resulted in a Lavezzi-led counter-attack and Ramires
halting the move cynically at halfway.
The Brazil
midfielder, in the middle of a domestic suspension, will miss next
Tuesday's second leg as a result.
PSG were content for Chelsea to pass
the ball at the back and - bar one Luiz shot from distance which was
easily held by Salvatore Sirigu - there was little danger from the
visitors.
The threat from PSG was all the more apparent, as
Lavezzi held off Cahill to squeeze a shot into the side-netting.
Chelsea were awarded a penalty when Thiago Silva mis-timed his lunge
towards Oscar, felling his compatriot.
Hazard sent Sirigu
the wrong way from the spot to equalise. The Belgium forward then beat
Sirigu again only to strike the foot of the post with a fine volley.
PSG
were denied after Ibrahimovic beat Terry to a cross from the right and
nodded centrally towards Cavani, who hit the deck as he battled with
Cahill. On this occasion Serbian referee Milorad Mazic was unmoved.
PSG
had slackened off after the opening goal and resumed after the break
with renewed vigour, Lavezzi rising unopposed to head just over from
Matuidi's left-wing cross.
With PSG pushing for a second,
Mourinho realised Chelsea would have space on the break and replaced
Schurrle with Torres with 30 minutes remaining.
Moments
after Torres entered the fray the hosts had their second when Lavezzi's
wickedly inswinging free-kick bamboozled everybody, particularly Luiz,
who inadvertently kicked the ball into his own net.
Hazard
made a fine burst as he tried to spark Chelsea, but Thiago Silva cut out
his pass intended for Torres. Willian then beat Maxwell on the Chelsea
right, but no-one was in the box to react to his cross.
Ibrahimovic,
after a subdued performance, limped off, with Cavani moving into a
central role. The Uruguay striker wrong-footed the entire Chelsea
defence with six minutes to go and his fierce shot beat Cech but went
past the post.
PSG claimed their third when Pastore danced
around three Chelsea defenders on the right of the box, cut in and beat
Cech with a fine shot.
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