Cavani goal earns PSG 1-1 draw vs. Chelsea in Champions League

PARIS — Striker Edinson Cavani gave Paris Saint-Germain a Champions League lifeline this morning (Feb 18, Singapore time) with a second-half equaliser as his team battled to a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the last 16.

After defender Branislav Ivanovic put Chelsea ahead in the 36th minute of the first leg match with a looping header, Cavani equalised with a downward header in the 54th.

“The result is not in our favour, but what I retain is the spirit my players showed,” PSG coach Laurent Blanc said. “It’s the game we wanted, except for the goal we conceded. But there are a lot of very, very positive things to take.”

Blanc wanted a commanding performance from striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Cavani looked sharper and could have scored more. With 10 minutes remaining, he burst into the penalty area and poked the ball just wide.

Thibaut Courtois, preferred to Petr Cech in goal for the visitors, prevented a defeat.

“Chelsea is lucky enough to have two goalkeepers of the very highest level. Despite his height he’s very quick, especially on the ground,” Blanc said. “He makes reflex saves at incredible speed.”

He denied Cavani with a spectacular first-half save and made four other fine stops to give Chelsea an edge for the return leg on March 11.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho described Courtois’ performance as “phenomenal” and conceded his side was somewhat fortunate to get a draw.”The second half was their half. They were losing, they put pressure on us,” Mourinho said. “If you go to chances created, and the goalkeeper’s performances, we have to be honest and say they had more.”

PSG was knocked out of the quarterfinals on away goals last season by Chelsea, winning the first leg 3-1 and losing the return 2-0.

In the night’s other last 16, first leg match, 10-man Bayern Munich settled for a 0-0 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in Lviv, Ukraine.

PSG had the game’s first chance when midfielder Blaise Matuidi’s header drew a smart save from Courtois, who reacted moments later to punch away Ibrahimovic’s header.

The hosts caught Chelsea with a quick break in the 32nd, as winger Ezequiel Lavezzi forced a corner. He took it, and Cavani’s brilliant glancing header forced Courtois into an equally good save.

Chelsea scored after Cesar Azpilicueta collected a loose ball on the left. From his cross, center half Gary Cahill flicked the ball on and Ivanovic anticipated the bounce to plant a firm header into the left corner.

Ivanovic scored the winner 10 days ago away to Aston Villa and in the League Cup semifinal win against Liverpool last month.

“It’s good to have two or three players who are not expected to score,” Mourinho said. “He chooses the right moment to do it.”

After Chelsea’s goal, the home side looked rattled.

David Luiz, playing in midfield against the Premier League club which sold him in the summer, even took matters into his own hands on the stroke of halftime.

After referee Cuneyt Cakir awarded a free kick and sprayed the ground to show where it should be taken from, Luiz scooped the foam away with his hands and smeared it on the ground several paces to the left, giving PSG a more central position.

It made no difference as Ibrahimovic blasted over.

PSG equalised after Matuidi crossed and Cavani showed great timing to get ahead of Cahill.

Then, Ibrahimovic muscled his way into the area in the 60th and his low shot was expertly kicked away by Courtois. The ball fell to Lavezzi who looked certain to score, only for Azpilicueta to block.

With seconds left, Courtois denied Ibrahimovic and the Sweden striker held his head in frustration.

Parking the bus is a term used to describe teams defending in numbers, and Chelsea did plenty of that.

Their parking before the match was not quite as good, however, as the team bus sustained some minor damage and a couple of broken windows after scraping a wall as it pulled into Parc des Princes. AP