PSG 3 United Women 1 (4-2 agg)
Manchester United have been knocked out of the UEFA Women’s Champions League this evening, following a 3-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain (4-2 on aggregate).
We drew level in a blistering start to the second half when Lisa Naalsund finished off a sublime assist from Geyse, but Martens combined with Tabitha Chawinga to restore the Parisians' lead seconds later.
Sandy Baltimore all but secured the win for PSG, with an audacious chip to make it 3-1 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate despite a valiant effort from the Reds.
Second-leg shots
GalleryView 20 images from United Women's Champions League defeat to PSG in Paris, where the Reds gave it everything.
It would be the hosts, however, who had the first sight of goal when a ball dropped into the path of Tabitha Chawinga, who managed nick it past the onrushing Mary Earps, but couldn’t quite squeeze it beyond Maya Le Tissier, who recovered quickly to prevent an early opener.
Skinner’s side were slick in moments, with Geyse notably at the heart of the action. An intricate bit of play between the Brazilian and Jayde Riviere down the right set up the former for our first shot at goal, but her effort was blazed over the bar.
Despite going behind, the Reds were spurred on to find an equaliser and ended the first 45 with a handful of chances to draw level. The first of which fell to Melvine Malard who did excellently to evade several players before dragging her effort past the post.
The second, and biggest of the half, saw Geyse’s high press pay off as she latched onto a stray pass from Elisa de Almeida and found Ella Toone in space, but our no.7’s cushioned effort rolled wide of the mark.
Chasing the game coming into the second half, the Reds returned from the interval in blistering form as we levelled things in the opening two minutes of the restart. It was good combination play down the right once again from Riviere and Geyse, with the latter driving into the box and pulling it back for Naalsund to bury emphatically - her first goal for the club.
But the joy from Reds inside the Parc des Princes was short-lived, as the hosts immediately restored their lead in the immediate aftermath of our equaliser. Chawinga once more proved the difference maker, setting up Martens for her second of the evening.
United reset ourselves for yet another push to pull things level and very nearly drew level for a second time through Geyse. After a trick bit of footwork in the box, she unleashed a glove-stinging effort on goal, but it was straight at PSG keeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek. Minutes later, the hosts went down the other end and added their third of the evening, with Baltimore lobbing in from close range, with an audacious effort from a tight angle.
Twenty minutes from time, the Reds no doubt felt hard done by when what looked like a legitimate goal from Leah Galton was ruled out, after our no.11 was deemed to have committed a foul in the process of heading the ball into the net.
We remained relentless in our search for a route back into the game despite the setback though, with Toone hitting the post in the dying minutes of stoppage-time, but it ultimately was not meant to be for United on the night.
The final whistle went soon after the midfielder had hit the woodwork, bringing an end to our European journey in 2023/24.
MATCH DETAILS
PSG: Kiedrzynek; Le Guilly, De Almeida, Hunt; Baltimore (Vitoria 90+6), Albert, Groenen, Geyoro, Karchaoui; Martens (Bachmann 73), Chawinga (Katoto 86).
Unused substitutes: Picaud, Samoura, Payne, Frazer, Calligaris, Vangsgaard, Tounkara, Traore, Elimbi Gilbert.
Goals: Martens 17, 48; Baltimore 57.
United: Earps; Blundell, Turner, Le Tissier, Riviere (Williams 82); Naalsund (Hinata 65), Zelem, Toone; Malard (Garcia 65), Geyse, Galton.
Unused substitutes: Middleton-Patel, Tullis-Joyce, Evans, Irene G., Ladd, Parris.
Goal: Naalsund 47.