Correa hits late winner for Atletico Madrid to punish wasteful PSG

PSG’s fourth game in the competition seemed a hoary replay of their third fixture at home to PSV Eindhoven.

Domination, ball retention, no formal centre forward, chances and more chances but not enough goals.

PSG exploded into the game against the Spaniards. Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembélé both spurned good openings within the first eight minutes.

But for all PSG’s early silkiness, their goal came from a good old-fashioned blunder.

Atletico defender Clément Lenglet dawdled on ball on the edge of the box, Dembélé muscled him off it and set up Warren Zaïre-Emery who showed composure beyond his 18 years to coolly chip over the Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

The breakthrough after 14 minutes was no more than the early endeavour deserved.

But within four minutes, Atletico were level via an element of slapstick.

Giuliano Simeone shot at goal, the ball cannoned off PSG defender Nuno Mendes onto Nahuel Molina’s chest and dropped in front of his left foot. The Argentine thrashed it gleefully past the bemused PSG goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma.

And from there, PSG glided through the repertoire of smart movement, cute angles but impotence in front of goal.

Chances

Dembélé blasted wide after Oblak had parried Bradley Barcola’s shot. Hakimi hoofed the ball well over the bar with another chance and then 13 minutes from time, PSG skipper Marquinhos guided a pass through to Hakimi who surged into the box from the right and promptly failed on three counts: to cut back for Randal Kolo Muani to score; slide a pass to an unmarked Fabian Ruiz to score or score himself.

On the sidelines, PSG boss Luis Enrique turned away in furious disbelief at the Moroccan international’s ineptitude.

PSG maintained the pressure with near misses. And with a mutually dissatisfying draw approaching, came the sucker punch.

Oblak saved Kang-in Lee’s shot from the edge of the box.

Atletico moved the ball out to Antoine Griezmann on the left and the former France international, utterly ineffectual throughout the evening, looked up and rifled the ball 40 metres to the right onto Correa’s right foot.

The 29-year-old Argentine, a second-half substitute for compatriot Julian Alvarez, arrowed towards the goal. His shot took a slight deflection to beat Donnarumma.

Status

As the Atletico players finished celebrating the winner, referee Szymon Marciniak added to the drama by simply blowing the whistle for full-time.

“We tried and tried, right up to the last minute,” said PSG midfielder Vitinha. “Unfortunately, we conceded a goal on their last chance. Would things be easier with a real centre-forward? Well, you never know. That’s our game plan. We’ll get better at it.”

The result leaves PSG with four points in 25th place in the 36-team league half way through the revamped format.

In the new system, after eight games, the top eight advance automatically to the last-16. Those finishing ninth to 24th face a two-match play-off for the other eight places. Atletico’s win took them up to 23rd with six points.

Elsewhere, Brest maintained their unbeaten run in the competition. The Ligue 1 outfit, playing in the Champions League for the first time, won 2-1 at Sparta Prague to boast fourth place with 10 points after four games.

Edmilson Fernandes put the visitors in front in the 37th minute and a Kaan Kairinen own-goal doubled the advantage.

Victor Olatunji pulled one back for the hosts in stoppage time.

Barcelona walloped FK Crvena Zvezda 5-2 to go sixth with nine points and Inter Milan beat Arsenal 1-0 to sit just behind Brest on goal difference.