Paris's U19s suffer narrow UYL defeat

THE STARTING xi

Laurendon, Diandaga, Tape, Cordier, Diyinu Nzinga, Abo El Nay, Diaby (c), Fanne Drame, Camara, Sangaré, Ly. 

THE MATCH

Following their 2-0 defeat to FC Girona at PSG Campus on Matchday 1, Paris's youngsters were determined to well and truly kickstart their UEFA Youth League campaign against their Arsenal FC counterparts this afternoon.

In the game's opening stages, everything was going to plan, too, with the two teams matching each other stride for stride and David Suarez's players even managing to give the hosts' defence a few scares. Having lost 4-1 away to Atalanta in their opening game of the competition, the English side were also keen to get themselves off the mark in the UYL table, and that's exactly what Andre Annous helped them to do by opening the scoring in the 19th minute. After a long ball forward was played back across the box, Annous simply headed it into the net to ensure that the Gunners struck the first blow.

Two minutes after the interval and in a torrential downpour, Bilal Laurendon kept the deficit at just one for Les Parisiens by making a marvellous diving save to push away what would have been a surefire second goal for the hosts.

Paris were pushing for an equaliser at this point and came very close to getting one in the 71st minute through Adam Ayari, who, having come off the bench shortly beforehand, was thwarted in a one-v.-one duel by opposition keeper Lucas Martin. Les Rouge et Bleu were later denied two chances to draw level in quick succession by Martin, who made a key stop to deny Ibrahima Diaby in the 80th minute before seeing Thomas Cordier's shot shave his goalpost in the 81st.

Paris's youngsters really did run out of luck with a minute of normal time to play, when Mahamadou Sangaré narrowly missed the target with a powerful shot that smashed into the side netting.

It's another Youth League defeat for Paris, then, who will have to bounce back against PSV Eindhoven at PSG Campus on Matchday 3.