The mediocrity of PSG’s first-half performance at the Parc
des Princes may have had their supporters fearing another in a long line of
disappointing results down the years in the Champions League knockout stages.
But Mbappe, who is expected to leave the club at the end of
the season when his contract expires, broke the deadlock from close range just
before the hour mark.
Bradley Barcola’s well-taken goal in the 70th minute then
made it 2-0 to give the French champions a comfortable cushion to take to Spain
for the return early next month.
“We managed to score at key moments. We are happy with this
first step. There is still a lot of work to do but it is good to be going there
with the advantage,” Mbappe told broadcaster Canal Plus.
Captain Marquinhos added: “We were in great difficulty in
the first half but we knew that would be the case.
“The coach gave us an earbashing at half-time and I think
that helped because the attitude was much better in the second half.
“We know how important it is to win at home but it is not
finished. We need to keep the same mindset between now and then, keep playing
well in the league and then go there and play well to secure our
qualification.”
There was big pressure on PSG coming into this tie after
they had gone out in the last 16 of the Champions League in five of the last
seven seasons.
Another early exit this season would be a monumental setback
for the Qatar-owned club, especially as Real Sociedad were appearing in their
first Champions League knockout tie in two decades.
They also made the trip to Paris having failed to score a
goal while failing to win any of their last four games in all competitions.
In addition to that, they were missing captain and top
scorer Mikel Oyarzabal as he recovers from injury.
PSG, who gave a Champions League bow at left-back to
20-year-old Brazilian January signing Lucas Beraldo, were aiming to extend a
run of 16 games unbeaten in all competitions stretching back to early November.
Away side threaten
However, an early shot by Mbappe that was beaten away by
visiting goalkeeper Alex Remiro was really the only time they threatened in a
poor first-half showing.
Instead it was the away side, winners of their group ahead
of Inter Milan, who looked more comfortable and who came closest to scoring
prior to the break.
In the final minute of the half, captain Mikel Merino
controlled the ball before crashing a piledriver from 25 metres off the top of
the bar and over.
PSG eventually broke the deadlock on 58 minutes as Ousmane
Dembele’s corner from the right was helped on by Marquinhos towards the back
post where Mbappe turned it in.
It was a 31st goal of the campaign in all competitions, and
a fourth in the Champions League, for the France captain who is widely tipped
to move to Real Madrid after this season.
That relaxed the hosts and Mbappe almost scored again in the
63rd minute as he won the ball back high up the pitch and hit a powerful shot
from outside the box which was tipped onto the bar and over by Remiro.
Luis Enrique’s side did find the net again 20 minutes from
the end when Barcola collected a ball on the left, skipped away from Hamari
Traore on his way into box and then slotted the ball past Remiro for his first
ever Champions League goal.
La Real could not find a way back into the game as their run
without a goal stretched to five matches.
They now have something of a mountain to climb when they
entertain PSG in San Sebastian on March 5, although supporters of the French
side will remain wary given the way they have collapsed at this stage of the
competition in recent years against Barcelona and Madrid, among others.
AFP
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