SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain (AP) — Kylian Mbappe led Paris Saint-Germain back into the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, keeping the French club’s hopes of winning a European title alive. . With the France forward last season.
PSG advanced 4–1 on aggregate, with Mbappé also scoring a goal. 2-0 win in the first leg Three weeks ago in Paris. Mbappe has already told PSG that he will not remain with the club after this season.
Despite spending heavily trying to win the Champions League for the first time, PSG had been eliminated from the last 16 five times in the past seven seasons, including the last two. It made it to the semi-finals in 2021 and was the runner-up in 2020.
“We knew straight away that we couldn’t go to sleep,” Mbappe said. “If he had opened the scoring, he would have gone on with the support of his fans. We had to dash their expectations right in the beginning. “That’s what we did and we are very happy to be back in the quarter-finals.”
Mbappe was the difference maker again on Tuesday, opening the scoring with a beautiful goal in the 15th minute, coming back from near the touchline after some brilliant moves inside the area and firing a strong right-footed shot into the far corner . The shot shattered the netting of the far post, forcing a brief stoppage of play so it could be repaired.
Mbappé’s second goal came in the 56th minute with a run starting from near the midfield line. He sprinted into open space to take a long pass from Lee Kang-in and calmly found the net from inside the area.
At the age of 25 years and 76 days, Mbappé became the second-youngest player to reach 45 Champions League goals from the group stage to the final. Lionel Messi reached this milestone at the age of 24 years and 257 days. Mbappé has 46 goals.
Mbappé had not scored in his last two games with PSG but had scored eight goals in his last eight games with the club. He was replaced in the last two matches but played until the final whistle on Tuesday.
PSG had won 10 of their last 13 matches in all competitions, but had consecutive draws against Rennes and Monaco in the French league.
Mikel Merino scored Sociedad’s only goal in the 89th minute, giving the home crowd a chance to celebrate.
“We wanted to qualify, but we also wanted to win,” Mbappe said. “We had a game plan that was clear, and we were able to score early. “We didn’t come under too much pressure, just a little bit at the end.”
In the other last 16 game on Wednesday, Bayern Munich beat Lazio 3-0 at home to advance 3-1 on aggregate.
Sociedad were attempting to advance to the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time. The Basque Country club had not played in Europe’s top club tournament since 2013–14. Its best European campaign was in 1982–83, when it reached the semi-finals of the European Cup.
Sociedad made a strong start to the season and won their Champions League group for the first time, but going through a recession recently. It has lost six times in its last seven matches in all competitions, and has won only one in its last nine matches.
“All opponents in the Champions League are difficult, but unfortunately we drew with probably the toughest opponent we could have faced,” Merino said. “We needed a perfect match to go forward, but they are very good and they have a player like Mbappé who is almost certain to score with his changes. They were better than us.”
The Spanish club had outshot PSG for most of the first leg before conceding twice in the second half.
Sociedad had a goal from Ander Barrenetxea disallowed for offside in the 63rd minute.
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