PSG, Galatasaray advance in Champions League

Galatasaray were beaten 3-2 at Juventus on Wednesday but reached the last 16 of the Champions League 7-5 on aggregate.

Thanks to two extra-time goals after the hosts came agonisingly close to pulling off a great escape despite playing with 10 men.

Left with a mountain to climb after a 5-2 loss in Istanbul, Juventus forced the tie into the extra 30 minutes and looked to have the upper hand before Victor Osimhen struck at the end of the first half of extra time and Baris Alper Yilmaz netted late on.

Manuel Locatelli opened the scoring for the home side from the penalty spot eight minutes before the break. Juventus had Lloyd Kelly sent off three minutes after the interval before Federico Gatti scored with 20 minutes left.

Galatasaray were unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage and Weston McKennie headed in eight minutes from the end.

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The Turkish side who will meet either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16 with the draw on Friday.

In another encounter, Paris St Germain reached the Champions League last 16 after a 2-2 home draw with 10-man Monaco, advancing 5-4 on aggregate.

Monaco struck on the stroke of halftime through Maghnes Akliouche, but PSG equalised in the 60th minute via Marquinhos, taking the lead six minutes later through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Substitute Jordan Teze scored in stoppage time to level 2-2, while Wout Faes missed a last-gasp header that could have forced extra time.

In March, PSG will face either Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16, keeping the Parisians on course for another European campaign.

PSG were tested by Ligue 1 rivals, with Monaco almost taking the lead inside ten minutes when Akliouche assisted Coulibaly, who missed from close range.

Four minutes before halftime, Bradley Barcola hit the crossbar, and in stoppage time Akliouche scored off the upright to give Monaco the lead.

Caio Henrique’s skillful cross found Akliouche via Coulibaly, handing Monaco a halftime advantage and putting PSG under pressure.

Monaco, 20 points behind PSG domestically, went down to 10 men in the 58th minute after Coulibaly received a second yellow for a late challenge on Hakimi.

Vitinha’s resulting free kick found Marquinhos, who touched in from less than a metre to level the score for PSG.

A set piece led to PSG’s second in the 66th minute, as Hakimi’s shot was parried into Kvaratskhelia’s path for the finish.

Monaco almost completed a comeback when Teze equalised in stoppage time, but Faes’ glancing header failed to find the net.

“At the end, when they scored, we felt stressed and it was scary,” said PSG’s Desire Doue, who scored twice in the first leg.

“The objective is to dominate the whole match, but you must know how to come back. Next time, we’ll try not to concede,” he said.

PSG fans chanted Hakimi’s name before kick-off, unveiling a banner reading “Achraf Total Support”.

The Morocco captain faces a rape trial, confirmed on social media. The Nanterre prosecutor’s office opened the 2023 investigation; he denies all allegations.

Reuters/NAN