Lavezzi and Pastore ignite PSG flame to stun Chelsea

Friday, 4 April 2014 00:56 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Javier Pastore’s brilliant individual goal in stoppage time put the gloss on Paris St Germain’s 3-1 Champions League quarter-final first leg win over Chelsea on Wednesday to leave the French side favourites to reach the last four. The Argentine, on as a late substitute, cut in from the byline, evading a number of Chelsea defenders before beating keeper Petr Cech at his near post. It prompted incredulous Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to label the goal “a joke” in his post-game news conference. PSG, boosted by an inspired display from another Argentine - Ezequiel Lavezzi - could be without talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for next week’s return at Stamford Bridge after the Swede trudged off clutching his right thigh 20 minutes from time. Ibrahimovic was substituted minutes after David Luiz had turned into his own net from a freekick to put PSG 2-1 up. Ibrahimovic, who has scored 10 goals in the competition this season but has yet to win the tournament, was unusually quiet with the Sweden striker outshone by the impressive Lavezzi. For Chelsea, Andre Schuerrle started at the expense of Fernando Torres, a clear signal that the London club had not travelled to Paris with an attacking mindset. With Gregory van der Wiel out injured, Christophe Jallet was handed the task of containing Hazard on Chelsea’s left flank.