LATE GOALS LEAVE PEAMOUNT WITH IT ALL TO DO IN PARIS
Peamount Utd…………….. 0
PSG…………………………. 2
DAIRE WALSH
reports from Tallaght Stadium
The final scoreline was not a true reflection on how Peamount fared in this UEFA Women’s Champions League last-32 clash.
Eileen Gleeson’s side actually kept up with their French opponents for most of the game and had their own chances to score. But, ultimately, late goals from Paris Saint-Germain substitutes Nora Coton-Pelagie and Cindy Thomas sealed a win for the visitors.
Set up with five in midfield, the west Dublin outfit started well before a superb strike from Caroline Pizzaza was expertly saved by Peamount keeper Linda Meehan.
PS had further chances with Charlotte Poulain and Aurelie Conforti both going close. But Peamount gave as good as they got with Sara Lawlor forcing Veronique Pons into a fine save and captain Louise Quinn heading over from the resulting corner.
This served as wake-up call for PSG and Jessica Houara made sure hat Meehan was not going to have a quiet night as she went close on 29 minutes.
Up the other end, Lawlor almost left Pons red-faced, but her effort ended up on the roof of the net.
Peamount did manage to hold out until the break and they stood a real chance of causing an upset in the second period.
Although PSG began to dominate as they controlled the bulk of possession and looked dangerous, it was actually the home side who had the first real chance of the second half when substitute Julie-Ann Russell rose brilliantly to meet a crisp right-wing cross. But it was just the right height for Pons it turn it away to safety.
Peamount then suffered a hammer blow with 18 minutes remaining when a pot-shot from Coton-Pelagie took a deflection before flying into the net.
And PSG struck again when Thomas chipped the stranded Meehan to leave Peamount with a mountain to climb ahead of the second leg in Paris next week.
PEAMOUNT UNITED: Meehan; Sinnott, Duggan, Byrne, Murray (S McGlone 86); O’Gorman, W McGlone (Jenkins 53), Comerford (Russell 49), Quinn, Roche; Lawlor.
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN: Pons; Bouilleau, Delannoy, Debonne, Lepailleur; Dali (Prevost 85), Pizzaza, Poulain (Coton-Pelagie 67), Rubio, Houara; Conforti (Thomas 63).
Scorers: Coton-Pelagie 72, Thomas 90.
Referee: A Kance (Lithuania).