Manchester City are still without a win in this season's Women's Champions League after Paris Saint-Germain rescued a 1-1 draw at the Joie Stadium on Thursday. Khadija Shaw's 85th-minute penalty looked to have settled a tight contest, but Tara Elimbi Gilbert equalised three minutes later, according to Sky Sports.
The result leaves Andree Jeglertz's side with three draws from three matches in the new league phase. City climb to 10th in the standings but remain four points adrift of Chelsea and Arsenal, who occupy places in the top four, Sky Sports reports.
Why it matters
Finishing in the top four of the league phase would send City straight into the quarter-finals. Anything lower means a play-off round stands between them and the last eight, and on current form that route is the one they are heading for.
The dropped points also interrupt what had been a strong start to the season. City were unbeaten before this match and had won every game in the Women's Super League until Manchester United equalised in the 89th minute days earlier. Now they have conceded late in consecutive fixtures, and the draw came just before a significant domestic trip to London City on Sunday.
For PSG, the point keeps them in touch with the leading group and underlines their resilience. Jeglertz's players had controlled long spells without finding a breakthrough, and the visitors punished them at the moment they switched off.
Shaw strikes, then City switch off
The game had been heading for a stalemate for much of the evening. City's clearest openings came through Lauren Hemp, who repeatedly got the better of her marker down the left. Just before the quarter-hour she beat several defenders and laid the ball to Shaw on the edge of the area, but the striker's volley flew past the right post.
Early in the second half Hemp reached the byline and picked out Aoba Fujino at the back post. The midfielder brought the cross down on her chest, only for PSG's Samoura to block. Shortly after the hour, Sakina Karchaoui curled an effort narrowly over the bar with Yamashita at full stretch.
PSG goalkeeper Szperkowska then produced a fine one-handed save low to her right to deny Shaw from just inside the box. City's pressure told again when Hemp was given time to cross for Shaw at the back post, but the Jamaica international headed wide from close range.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 83rd minute. Shaw drove to the left byline and was brought down by Mbock, and the referee pointed to the spot. Two minutes later Shaw converted low to Szperkowska's right, her tenth goal in her last ten appearances. The effort came in the same week she finished third in the Ballon d'Or voting, Sky Sports notes.
The lead lasted only three minutes. Elimbi carried the ball forward, and with City's defenders backing off she advanced unchallenged into the box before beating Yamashita.
Jeglertz points to individual quality
Jeglertz declined to blame his players' focus for the equaliser. Speaking to BBC Sport, he said the goal came from a moment of individual skill rather than a lapse in attention.
"It's not a lack of concentration, there's always concentration," he said. "They have a fast player. She was beating us one against one and scored. That was an individual skill that we couldn't cope with."
The City manager described his feelings as mixed. He felt the performance was strong and showed the level his side can reach, but acknowledged that conceding so late was disappointing.
He also struck an optimistic note about qualification. City have three group games remaining, and Jeglertz pointed out that they have already faced the three highest-ranked opponents among the six teams in their section. On that reading, the fixtures ahead offer a chance to climb the table.
Sky Sports' assessment was less forgiving. The broadcaster noted that three draws in three games have left City scrambling into the play-off places, a far from ideal return to the competition after last season's domestic double. It also flagged the timing of the result, coming days before the trip to London City.
City's next European assignment will be closely watched for signs that the late concessions have been addressed. The table, meanwhile, offers little margin: with Chelsea and Arsenal already four points clear of them, another draw would make automatic qualification increasingly difficult.
