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Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel thought he could rest his stars against the 19th-place team in Ligue 1 ahead of the start of the Champions League knockout rounds on Tuesday. He was wrong.
SC Amiens scored the game’s first three goals only to see PSG come back to take the lead before a late equalizer gave the home side an unlikely 4-4 draw Saturday at Stade de la Licorne.
PSG faces an enticing showdown with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Round of 16 starting on Tuesday. Dortmund has been scoring nearly at will lately, netting 24 goals in its last six matches (while also shipping 11).
If Saturday’s match is anything to go by, Tuesday’s first leg in Dortmund could end 6-6.
While Neymar and Kylian Mbappé were rested — they weren’t even in the 18 — PSG still fielded a strong offensive lineup. Edinson Cavani made his first Ligue 1 start since November playing up top with Mauro Icardi while the midfield of Julian Draxler, Ángel Di María, Leandro Paredes and Idrissa Gueye had plenty of quality.
Defensively, however, PSG started 17-year-old center back Tanguy Kouassi and 19-year-old left back Mitchel Bakker. It was Kouassi’s fourth Ligue 1 start and Bakker’s first-ever Ligue 1 appearance. Club captain Thiago Silva started at center back to provide some experience, but he was replaced by Marquinhos at halftime. Ander Herrera, normally a central midfielder, played right back.
That defense showed plenty of holes right from the start, but it was the 17-year-old Frenchman who powered the comeback with two goals.
PSG vs Amiens Highlights
Amiens didn’t waste any time taking it to the league leader. Five minutes in, Gaël Kakuta played in Serhou Guirassy with a lovely through ball that demanded the strong finish Guirassy supplied.
SHOCK ALERT @AmiensSC take an early lead from Sehrou Guirassy as the defending champs are down 1-0 inside the first few minutes #ASCPSG LIVE NOW
beIN SPORTS (After Barca/Getafe)
CONNECT 7 https://t.co/LRYa03w6yI pic.twitter.com/zxWPhBFwkX— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 15, 2020
While PSG racked up possession, it was Amiens who struck next through Kakuta. The French No. 10 lashed a violent thunderbolt past Keylor Navas.
LIFTOFF FROM KAKUTA!
It's a sensational goal from Gaël Kakuta as @AmiensSC now lead 2-0 over @PSG_English, a side that they have never beaten #ASCPSG LIVE NOW
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CONNECT https://t.co/LRYa03w6yI pic.twitter.com/fdyhDihhcw— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 15, 2020
Before PSG could get to halftime to regroup, Fousseni Diabaté made it 3-0 with this deflected effort. More impressive than the goal was Diabaté’s celebration.
We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to inform you..
IT'S 3-0 TO AMIENS!Fousseni Diabaté goes on the scoresheet as @PSG_English find themselves three goals down before HT #ASCPSG LIVE NOW
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CONNECT https://t.co/LRYa03w6yI pic.twitter.com/JklZN2Rzjv— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 15, 2020
The 3-0 score line at this point actually could’ve been more than three but for the efforts of Navas in goal. Amiens had only scored three goals in an entire Ligue 1 match once this season, back in October.
Thomas Tuchel was so angry after the third goal, he left the pitch to prepare his halftime hairdryer speech before Ander Herrera pulled one back for PSG by being first to react on the back post on a corner kick.
The goal gave PSG a bit of hope and changed the momentum heading into halftime.
After the break, with Marquinhos and Marco Verratti brought on, PSG began to flex its might.
Kouassi, who hadn’t scored in Ligue 1 prior to Saturday, scored towering headers in the 60th and 65th minutes to draw PSG level.
PSG took its first lead in the 74th minute through Icardi. Bernat, who replaced Paredes in the 61st minute, played an inviting ball across the face of goal for the Argentine to tap in.
Back to life, back to reality @PSG_English show @AmiensSC why they are the French champions as it is now make it 4-3 on the night with Mauro Icardi going on the scoresheet. #ASCPSG LIVE NOW
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CONNECT https://t.co/LRYa03w6yI pic.twitter.com/4RCUMxeJmL— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 15, 2020
It was nearly 5-3 moments later but for a marvelous double save from Régis Gurtner, which proved vital.
In the dying minutes of the match, Guirassy put a fourth past Navas to make it 4-4.
IT ISN'T OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER! @AmiensSC have scored it right at the death as Sehrou Guirassy makes it 4-4 here in what has been an entertaining game!
What a wonderful end! pic.twitter.com/xblgzCwpRk— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 15, 2020
The match ended as it began, with Kouassi and his defense surrendering a goal. Despite the 17-year-old netting two himself, Tuchel can’t be too happy with the young defender’s performance on defense.
Given the offenses at the disposal of PSG and BVB — and the leaky defenses — we can’t wait for Tuesday.
