Man Utd stun PSG
Two first-half Lukaku goals from PSG mistakes and a late Rashford penalty awarded by VAR saw the Frenchmen fail in Europe again.
PSG 1-3 Manchester United: report
Manchester United qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League after a 3-1 victory in Paris as the French side continue to innovate when it comes to losing late and painfully in the Champions League knockout stages. This version of their demise included two defensive mistakes and a VAR penalty to seal the deal in injury time.
It was a bizarre game at times with PSG dominating the ball and the game as though they needed to score. Manchester United, until late in the game, sat back and invited Paris onto them. They spurned chance after chance though as United were more efficient with their attacking if that's how you chose to look at it.
It started in the second minute when Kehrer played a pass back to Thiago Silva, who was slow to react, as Lukaku intervened to round Buffon and slot home from a right angle. If United's hope consisted of little more than a spritz at the start of the game, there was reason to believe after that opening goal that PSG would revert to back their old ways. United knew it and PSG had a feeling too.
Directly after the goal, it only served to wake up the drowsy home side as they peppered De Gea's area with crosses, shots, through balls and efforts to disrupt United's back line.
They levelled matters when Juan Bernat turned home a wayward Mbappe shot that he repackaged and sold as a pass. It looked like United's luck was out, the early goal a freak occurence and PSG the better side ready to take their place in the quarter-final once they had seen of an injury-riddled United side for the 78 minutes that remained. But PSG's inability to convert more than just one despite dominating was a harbinger for what was to come.
Rashford whipped a shot at Buffon's front post as the Italian scurried across, got his body behind it, but couldn't wrap his gloves around it. Another freak occurence? Perhaps, but United were back in the game and that uneasy feeling started to settle around the Parc des Princes again.
PSG dominated the second half too as Solskjaer emptied his bench with teenagers Tahith Chong and Mason Greenwood making their debuts at 19 and 17 years of age - the latter becoming the youngest player to ever appear for the Red Devils in the Champions League.
It was a first half sub for Eric Bailly that would change the course of the game though. Diogo Dalot drove a shot towards goal as the game ticked into injury time and Kimpembe's hand caught the ball on its path towards goal.
The referee awarded a corner before taking the advice of his VAR assistants and checking the incident on the pitchside monitor. After a quick look, he returned only to award the spot kick.
Marcus Rahsford stepped up and battered it home with confidence to give United a 3-1 lead and the overall advantage in the tie. PSG struggled to get the ball forward but it was all in vein as United saw of their meagre challenge to retake the lead.
It's PSG's seventh time to be eliminated in the last 16 as they continue to invent ways to mess it up when it matters most. They have spend more money on transfers than small nations' gross domestic product but can't get into the last eight of Europe's best but continually fall just when it looks like they are ready to feast with the big boys.
The stats will tell one story, namely that PSG dominated the ball and probably deserved to win, but Ole Gunnar Solaksjaer's side delivered when it was needed as they march into the quarter-finals of Europe's elite competition.
PSG vs Manchester United live online: match updates and commentary
PSG vs Manchester United live online: preview
After Tuesday night's shock with Real Madrid being knocked out by Ajax, Manchester United will be eyeing their own upset after suffering defeat at the hands of Tuchel's man at Old Trafford two weeks ago. On that occasion, Angel Di Maria stepped up to the mark without Neymar and Edinson Cavani to accompany Kylian Mbappé up front. Manchester United suffered two injuries in that first half and their outlook hasn't improved with Paul Pogba suspended and more injuries including a six-week layoff for Alexis Sanchez.
PSG have Cavani back with the squad but he won't play any part until later in the competition provided they make it out of the United tie unscathed. Neymar is excited for his return, which is also drawing closer, and says this PSG can win the league. The plaudits for his teammate, Mbappé continue to pour in and many suggest he is now the second best footballer in the world and Neymar saying he is set to become one of the world's very best. Tuchel declared Di Maria 'a gift'after that first leg and he will be needed again in place of his missing teammates. Juan Bernat, Julian Draxler, Thilo Kehrer and Marco Verratti are all one booking away from a suspension and while Cavani might sit on the bench, it would be a surprise if Tuchel used him.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has improved Manchester United immeasurably and he says he would rather win 4-2 that play for a 2-0. They need a historic win to ensure passage to the next round and there won't be much time for sitting back. Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian, Phil Jones, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Anthony Martial are all out with injury while Pogba is suspended and Ole Gunnar's options are limited.