French Ligue 1
Result:Reims 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain
Date: 19 September 2015
Venue: Stade Auguste-Delaune II
Edinson Cavani rescued a point for Paris Saint-Germain in their 1-1 draw against a resilient Reims outfit on Saturday.
PSG started the game like a house on fire as Javier Pastore and Ezequiel Lavezzi were involved in a couple of the attacks and creating a few half-chances.
Pastore thought he had grabbed the opener in the 15th minute after finding himself at the end of a Layvin Kurzawa free-kick and headed the ball into the back of the net, only for the goal to be disallowed for off-side.
The visitors continued to pile the pressure on Reims, and Lavezzi found himself with acres of space in the 18th minute before beating the keeper and then having his shot well cleared off the line.
The hosts began to gain some momentum as the half progressed, but it was PSG who tucked the ball into the back of the net in the 38th minute, only for Lucas’s effort to be called off once again for off-side.
Reims’ Nicolas De Preville came close to grabbing the opener when the Frenchman had a superb effort rocketeer off the woodwork.
Both sides tried to create chances in an effort to get ahead before the break, but neither side could break the deadlock and 0-0 was the score at the break.
The visitors are back at it soon after the restart, and substitute ‘keeper, Placide, did well to intercept a cross into the area around the 53rd minute following a lovely period of play from Laurent Blanc’s men.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic should have done better five minutes later when Marquinhos’s header was punched out by Placide onto the Swede’s feet, but the 33-year-old could not direct his shot and had to watch it go agonizingly wide.
Four minutes later, the Swede failed to direct a follow-up header after Verratti had produced a fine stinging effort that was parried by Placide.
PSG were looking great in the second stanza as they went on waves of attacks but the final touch was letting them down.
Theoson Siebatcheu sent the crowd into raptures when he grabbed the opener after some fine footwork from De Preville to make it 1-0 after 83 minutes of play.
The defending champions responded almost immediately with Edinson Cavani producing a rifling shot into the back of the net to make it 1-1 with only a few minutes remaining.
PSG continued to apply the pressure in the dying moments of the clash but no further goals could be scored and 1-1 is how the match ended.
