Paris FC’s big move! Falling at home to Real Madrid (2-1) last week, the Parisiennes did it again this Wednesday during the return match counting for the 4th day of Group D. Thanks to a penalty scored at the end of the game by captain Gaëtane Thiney (78th ), who dared the panenka, Sandrine Soubeyrand’s players won 1-0 and carried out a superb operation at the end of a tight encounter.
Still third in the group with six points, Paris FC maintains all its chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals. We will have to take points during the last two days, scheduled for the end of January, against the Swedes of Häcken (2nd, 7 pts), beaten (1-3) at the same time by the Chelsea Blues (1st, 8 pts).
In a very tight first half during which the duels were fierce, it was the defenses which took precedence over the attacks. Both teams had a few opportunities, but the goalkeepers were imperious. Nnadozie (Paris FC), in particular, repelled an attempt by Cardonna on his bar with a beautiful opposite-handed save (27th), and won a face-to-face in a tight angle against Moller. That was about all in a first act that was fairly poor in opportunity.
In the second half, the tempo remained the same, dictated by a merciless battle in midfield. Matéo started the hostilities, well offset by Thiney, but missed his attempt (50th). Nnadozie then released a new merengue attempt, again against Keller (65th). Finally, after a strike from Thiney which ended up in the small net of the King’s club cages (76th), Ould Houcine was the victim of a foul behind the back of Oroz, barely entering the game, in the open area (77th). And who other than Gaëtane Thiney, the captain, to transform it and relaunch Paris FC in the race for qualification? The French international therefore converted the award with a daring panenka, a penalty taken gently in the middle of the cage, catching the goalkeeper on the wrong foot. The score then remained unchanged, with Real Madrid remaining harmless at the end of the match.
