Late PSG equaliser leaves Manchester City facing uphill Champions League route

Manchester City’s hopes of finishing in the automatic Women’s Champions League quarter-final places suffered another setback when Paris Saint-Germain scored three minutes after Khadija Shaw’s late penalty to draw 1-1 at the Joie Stadium, according to The Guardian and Sky Sports. The result extended City’s wait for a first victory in this season’s competition. They have drawn all three of their matches, following away and home draws against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

The Guardian reported that City ended the night 10th in the league-phase table, only one position above the final qualification place. City appeared to have secured the points when Shaw converted an 85th-minute penalty. PSG responded almost immediately, with substitute Tara Elimbi Gilbert scoring from close range in the 88th minute.

The late goal turned what had looked like a narrow City victory into another frustrating draw. The Guardian said City had controlled much of the match but failed to make their early pressure count. Shaw headed wide from Aoba Fujino’s third-minute cross, then sent a low effort narrowly past the post after Lauren Hemp had created the opening.

PSG’s goalkeeper, Oliwia Peda, was not properly tested until the second half. The draw reinforced concerns about City’s finishing. The Guardian described the hosts as having missed several major chances and said the match “really ought to have been a victory”.

City’s unbeaten record in all competitions remains intact, but their European campaign has so far produced no wins. Jeglertz accepted that his team had not made the most of its dominance. “Maybe we should kill the game earlier,” the City manager said, adding that his side deserved more but had been punished for failing to score while in control.

He remained confident about qualification, arguing that City had already faced the three toughest opponents in their six-team schedule. “We have three games that we have the opportunity, again, to get the points we need to qualify for the next round,” Jeglertz said, according to The Guardian. The manager’s assessment offers a more positive reading than the table, but the latest draw still leaves City needing a stronger return from their remaining fixtures.

The match came during a demanding period for City. The Guardian noted that it followed a Manchester derby in which they conceded a late equaliser and preceded a Women’s Super League meeting with London City Lionesses. That side includes former Barcelona player Alexia Putellas and sat one place and three points behind City in the league, according to the report.

Elsewhere in the competition, Barcelona strengthened their position at the top with an 8-0 win over HB Køge, their third victory in three matches and a 19-2 aggregate record. Juventus moved fifth after beating Austria Vienna 4-1, while Paris FC and Häcken drew 1-1.