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PSG held by Lorient with fringe team ahead of Bayern Munich return leg / Photo: FRANCK FIFE - AFP
PSG held by Lorient with fringe team ahead of Bayern Munich return leg
Paris Saint-Germain warmed up for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich by fielding a second-string line-up and throwing away the lead twice in a 2-2 draw with Lorient in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Ibrahim Mbaye's fortuitous early goal to put PSG in front at the Parc des Princes was soon cancelled out by Pablo Pagis for mid-table Lorient, but Warren Zaire-Emery gave the hosts the lead for the second time when he scored moments after coming on as a second-half substitute.
However, a mistake by teenage debutant Pierre Mounguengue allowed Aiyegun Tosin to run through and score a second equaliser for Lorient, and PSG could not find a winner -- even being awarded a penalty in stoppage time for a non-existent handball which was eventually overturned after a VAR intervention.
The result means the outcome of the Ligue 1 title race remains a live issue, with PSG seven points clear of Lens who have four games remaining, including a trip to struggling Nice later on Saturday.
Lens also still have to play PSG at home on May 13, and Luis Enrique's side are clearly focused principally on the defence of their European title as they head to Munich for Wednesday's semi-final second leg with a 5-4 lead from the remarkable first meeting of the sides.
The PSG coach made nine changes to his starting XI here, with Ecuador centre-back Willian Pacho and France forward Desire Doue the only players to retain their places from midweek.
Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who both scored twice against Bayern, were unused substitutes against Lorient while Vitinha was among the players not even in their matchday squad.
Renato Marin, aged 19, made just his second first-team appearance for PSG in goal, and fellow teenager Mbaye was handed a first start in three months.
Mounguengue, an 18-year-old forward, came off the bench in the second half as the Parisians were held to a draw by Lorient for the second time this season.
The Brittany outfit have now lost just one of their last five meetings with PSG, who are aiming to win a fifth straight Ligue 1 title and a 12th in 14 seasons.
Lens, whose only French title to date came in 1998, are the only team who can still pip Paris to the post this season.
(D.Lewis--TAG)
