Angel Di Maria scored with the final act of the game (93′) as Paris Saint-Germain twice battled back to hold SS. Napoli to a 2-2 draw at the Parc des Princes in UEFA Champions League Group C on Wednesday.
UEFA Champions League Group C, Matchday 3
Parc des Princes, Paris
Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 SS. Napoli 
THE MATCH
Barely two minutes were on the clock when PSG first threatened with Kylian Mbappé breaking into the Napoli box and cutting back for Edinson Cavani and Neymar, but the South Americans got in each other’s was and the chance went begging (2′). Cavani then crashed an effort against the side netting (7′) as the capital club poured it on. Cavani forced a diving save from David Ospina (18′) before Napoli conjured their first chance on Alphonse Areola’s goal, but Allan, having twisted clear at the edge of the box, fired over (20′). The pendulum swung in Napoli’s favour soon after. Dries Mertens crashed an effort off PSG’s crossbar (24′) and the Italians pulled into the lead minutes later when Lorenzo Insigne – who had been a doubt for this game – latched onto Jose Callejon’s pass and lifted the ball over an onrushing Areola (29′). Mbappé drew a free-kick from Mario Rui towards the end of the half, but Neymar’s subsequent attempt crashed into the wall (34′). Ospina then stopped Mbappé when one-on-one (38′) and the Serie A side carried their lead into the interval.
Deserved equalisers
Thomas Tuchel made just one change at half-time, with Thilo Kehrer coming on for fellow full-back Juan Bernat (46′), but the French champions looked much livelier after the restart and were desperately unlucky not to make it 1-1 when Cavani latched onto Neymar’s deflected shot onto to see his effort fly off target (50′). Thomas Meunier then saw a close-range header swatted away by Ospina (52′) before having a big hand in the leveller, the Belgium right-back’s cross inadvertently turned past Ospina by his left-back, Rui (61′). Napoli would have the final say, though. Dries Merten’s got the break of the ball in the box after Fabian Ruiz’s shot had cannoned off Marquinhos and finished inside the near post to make it 2-1 (77′). Neymar saw a glorious free-kick tipped over by Ospina late on (82′) and PSG’s pressure was rewarded at the last when Di Maria got his wand of a left foot behind an unstoppable effort for 2-2 (93′).
THE PLAYER: Thomas Meunier
Rested for PSG’s 5-0 win over Amiens on Saturday, Meunier was absolutely raring to go against Napoli, and completely unfazed by his mid-match shift in position, which saw him go from right-back in a 4-2-3-1 to right wing in something more akin to a 3-2-4-1. Meunier also led the ultimately futile comeback against Liverpool last month and is quietly becoming a leader in a team of superstars.
THE STAT: 8
PSG’s are now undefeated in eight matches in all competitions. Tuchel’s side have not lost since they were edged 3-2 by last season Champions League runners up Liverpool in mid-September. Between then and now, the French champions had won seven straight, scoring 26 goals in the process, before Wednesday’s draw.
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