Photo: Neymar and Mbappe celebrate at PSG snatch a late winner against Atalanta in the quarterfinal of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. PSG won 2-1 to make their first semifnal in 25 years. (Getty Images)
Paris St-Germain qualified for the Champions League semifinal for the first time in a quarter century with a dramatic come from behind 2-1 win over first time quarterfinalists Atalanta on Wednesday.
Despite dominating the game early and creating the better chances, PSG fell behind to a first half Mario Pasalic strike and seemed to be crashing out of the competition before Marquinhos equalized in the final minute. Substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting then grabbed the winner in added time to send the French champions into the final four.
PSG began the game with key player Kylian Mbappe on the bench and so it was left to their other star man Neymar, to get them into the semifinal.
After a combination between Icardi, Neymar in the 3rd minute, the Brazilian ran half the field with the ball but shot wide of the target from 14 yards, when he should have scored.
Atalanta possessed the ball well and looked threatening at set pieces and they did more than just enjoy the occasion.
But again, it was PSG that created the goal scoring opportunity when Neymar was sprung down the left channel in the 18th minute but his final ball was neither a shot or a pass for Icardi, as the ball rolled harmlessly across the goal.
Mario Pasalic then blew the game wide open when he scored for Atalanta in the 27th minute to give the Italians an unexpected lead.
Three minutes before half time, Neymar latched onto a wayward back pass down the left side, but fired wide again. It was another glaring miss from the striker.
In the 58th minute, Xhimshiti missed a gilt-edge chance to put Atalanta 2-0 up, but he headed wide from close range.
Mbape was introduced with half hour to play and made an immediate impact as he linked up nicely with Neymar, but despite creating more chances, they found the resolute Atalanta defence virtually impenetrable.
Mbappe was denied at the near post by goalkeeper Sportiello in the 74th minute as PSG kept knocking on the door.
Palamino made a great great recovery tackle to deny Mbappe after giving the ball away in the first place as Atalanta continued to deny PSG.
Atalanta must have thought that they had done enough to keep their fairytale run going until Marquinhos prodded home from a deflected left sided cross to make it 1-1 on the stroke of full time.
PSG then broke Atalanta hearts with one of the moves of the game. A slide rule pass from Neymar to Mbappe just inside the box was crossed by the World Cup winner for an unmarked Choupo-Moting to poke home in 3rd minute of added time.
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