Leaders PSG fight back to draw six-goal thriller

BBC Online :

European champions Paris St-Germain fought back from 3-1 down to claim a point in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Strasbourg and stay top of Ligue 1.

The hosts took a sixth-minute lead as Bradley Barcola collected Desire Doue’s pass and finished well past visiting goalkeeper Mike Penders.

But Doue’s older brother, Guela, helped Strasbourg equalise as his cross was headed in by Joaquin Panichelli, before Diego Moreira fired home from a tight angle just before the break to give the visitors the lead.

They stretched their advantage four minutes into the second half with Panichelli’s second goal, this time following Moreira’s through-ball.

PSG were given a lifeline in the 58th minute as Penders fouled Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos converted the resulting penalty.

Senny Mayulu then made it 3-3 in the 79th minute with a header after Penders – on loan from Chelsea – had parried his first attempt.

The home side, without injured Ballon d’Or-winning forward Ousmane Dembele, ended strongly but could not find a winner as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missed an opportunity by shooting narrowly wide from outside the penalty area.

PSG have won the French title in 11 of the past 13 seasons, including each of the past four, and are one point above Strasbourg, who move up to second, one point ahead of Marseille in third and fourth-placed Lyon.
Strasbourg would have gone top with a win.

They are managed by Englishman Liam Rosenior and their side included England left-back Ben Chilwell, who joined the French side from Chelsea in September, and former Brighton midfielder Julio Enciso.

PSG are next in action on Tuesday and will be aiming for their third Champions League win in three matches this season when they play Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.