PSG 1-3 Manchester United: Romelu Lukaku brace and bizarre VAR penalty from Marcus Rashford sees Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side through
A controversial late penalty awarded by VAR gave Manchester United a thrilling 3-1 win at PSG to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Romelu Lukaku scored twice either side of Juan Bernat's strike for PSG, who largely dominated the game but could not find the finishing touches as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pulled off his biggest result of his sparkling record as caretaker boss.
The French side still looked to be going through until referee Damir Skomina intervened and gave an astonishing penalty against Presnel Kimpembe for handball after a lengthy VAR stoppage.
Marcus Rashford stepped up and kept his nerve to rifle home the penalty past Gigi Buffon in the dying moment of the match to send United through to the last eight on away goals - to a stunned silence in the Parc des Princes.
United were without 10 players at the big-spending Ligue 1 champions, but those selected embodied the positivity displayed by their manager and spirit synonymous with the club over the years.
Manchester United got off to the perfect start, with in-form striker Lukaku making the most of a defensive error from Thilo Kehrer to round Gianluigi Buffon and score inside two minutes.
But that dream start awoke the hosts and Kylian Mbappe looked most likely to do the damage, going agonisingly close to meeting a cross before twice being denied in quick succession by Chris Smalling.
The 20-year-old star could be seen imploring his team-mates to remain calm and that composure brought a 12th-minute leveller. Dani Alves carved open the visitors' backline with a ball that Mbappe impressively swept across for the unmarked Bernat to turn home at the far post.
PSG were enjoying plenty of space down the left and Bernat should have had his second goal of the night shortly afterwards but he fired straight at goalkeeper David De Gea.
Angel Di Maria was having his way with Eric Bailly down the left, but after PSG wasted a few more chances they fell behind again after a poor error from veteran keeper Buffon.
Buffon flapped as a hopeful long-range effort from Marcus Rashford skipped off the turf, with Lukaku reacting well to turn home on the half-hour mark.
In the second half Di Maria's joy at scoring against his former club was short-lived as he was rightly called offside from Mbappe's flick, with United's defence staying resolute and organised as PSG probed.
David De Gea gobbled up a hopeful Di Maria attempt as United frustrated an increasingly tense-looking home side.
PSG players were trying to whip up the home support, who were on their feet as Thomas Meunier tried his luck before Mbappe raced through. The striker lost his footing under pressure from De Gea and was then denied by Smalling, before Bernat struck the outside of the post.
Dalot's hopeful shot looked a waste until the VAR review sign came on the big screen and referee Skomina jogged towards the touchline monitor.
Having told United's bench to leave him alone, he reviewed Kimpembe's potential handball and eventually pointed to the spot.
PSG players tried to get into Rashford's head before the penalty but there was no stopping the England international's strike - and no way past United's backline thereafter as the visitors held on to move impressively through to the last eight.
Paris Saint-Germain 1-3 Manchester Utd - Opta stats
- Manchester United became the first team in Champions League history to qualify for the next round having lost the first leg of a knockout match at home by two or more goals.
- PSG conceded with three of the four shots on target they faced in this game and have been eliminated at the last 16 stage in each of the last three Champions League seasons.
- Romelu Lukaku’s first goal after 111 seconds was Man Utd’s fastest in a Champions League knockout match since Wayne Rooney scored after 63 seconds against Bayern Munich in March 2010.
- Since the start of last season, the only Premier League players to score more goals in all competitions than Man Utd’s Romelu Lukaku (42) are Mo Salah (64), Harry Kane (64) and Sergio Aguero (55).
- Marcus Rashford’s winning penalty was the first he has ever taken in a competitive match for Manchester United.
- PSG have lost seven of their last 12 Champions League knockout matches (W4 D1), including each of their last two at the Parc des Princes.
- Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first match in charge on December 22nd, only Manchester City (15) have won more matches in all competitions than Man Utd (14) among teams in the top five European leagues.
- Manchester United have now scored in 21 consecutive away matches in all competitions, equalling the club record set between November 1956 and September 1957 under Sir Matt Busby.
- Mason Greenwood became the youngest player to appear for Manchester United in the Champions League, aged 17 years and 156 days, breaking the record held by Gerard Pique (17y 310d).