Deep into stoppage time at the Parc des Princes, the home side were in a spot of bother
Napoli had taken a lead through Lorenzo Insigne in the first half, been pegged back after the break by Mario Rui’s own-goal and re-taken the lead through Dries Mertens. Victory, it seemed, was theirs as the game entered its final seconds.
A win for the Italian side would have spelled huge trouble for Paris Saint-Germain. Having already lost their opening Champions League game to Liverpool, the French champions could scarcely afford another defeat ahead of a trip to Naples in two weeks and another game with Jurgen Klopp’s side in Paris at the end of next month.
Fortunately, a moment of magic from Angel Di Maria eased the pressure.
Half-way through five minutes of added-on time, Neymar’s attempt to find Kylian Mbappe was poked clear by a Napoli foot, only as far as Julian Draxler. The German pushed it wide to the former Real Madrid and Manchester United man. With one touch for control and another to tee up a shot, he left fly with his left foot, curling perfectly into David Ospina’s top corner from the very edge of the penalty area.
Ángel Di María with a STUNNER in injury time for PSG 😲
What a beautiful hit! pic.twitter.com/iXW3zqU0Ha
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 24, 2018
The goal meant that Napoli slipped to second in the group behind Liverpool, who were 4-0 winners over Red Star Belgrade at Anfield. It also means that PSG stay within a point of them; they would have moved four points clear had Di Maria not found the net.
It’s expected the group will go right to the wire in terms of which two clubs qualify for the last 16 stage. Should PSG make it out, this goal could prove hugely significant.
