Champions League Drama: PSG and AC Milan secure advancement as Newcastle faces Europa League exit
The final day of the Champions’ League group stage in Group F was filled with excitement, particularly in two crucial matches. In the end, PSG secured the second spot in the group, and AC Milan caused a sensation by advancing. Unfortunately, Newcastle fell short and will be relegated to the Europa League.
Newcastle, playing at home at St James’ Park, faced AC Milan in a pivotal match. A victory, combined with a stumble by PSG, could have propelled them to the Round of 16.
Newcastle had shown strong performances in the group, securing a draw at San Siro (0-0) and inflicting a heavy defeat on PSG at home (4-1).
They also managed to maintain a draw in the return leg 15 days ago (1-1), despite conceding a late penalty.
Eddie Howe’s team quickly dominated the game, posing challenges for Stefano Pioli’s men.
Joelinton opened the scoring at the 33rd minute, but AC Milan leveled with a goal from Christian Pulisic.
Despite Milan’s motivation, they couldn’t find a second goal, leaving the score at 1-1.
AC Milan’s draw secured them the third spot, qualifying them for the Europa League, while Newcastle was eliminated from all European competitions.
Meanwhile, PSG secured qualification in a challenging match against Borussia Dortmund.
In search of qualification and potentially the top spot with a win, PSG struggled to convert chances in the first half.
Players like Mbappé, Kolo Muani, and Barcola missed nine clear opportunities, yet the score remained surprisingly goalless at halftime, with both teams having had clear chances.
The second half saw more action, with Borussia Dortmund taking the lead through Adeyemi.
This spurred a comeback from PSG, with Barcola finding Zaïre-Emery for the equalizer.
The race for victory intensified, but PSG, mindful of the other match’s result, played cautiously while still conceding some anxious moments.
The draw was sufficient for PSG to stay in the competition. The project is on track, and the French capital club must draw valuable lessons from this group stage to achieve their goals. The essentials have been preserved.
Source: Infos-sport
