City fall to UEFA Youth League defeat against PSG

In what was a tightly contested affair, PSG secured a one goal lead ahead of the break through Mamadou Meite.

City pushed for an equaliser, but a second would follow for the visitors on 78 minutes through Adam Ayari, with the Blues unable to find a response. 

Oliver Reiss’s side created several fine chances as Teddie Lamb, Ryan McAidoo and Kaden Braithwaite went close, but were unlucky not to ripple the PSG net. 

What happened 

Oliver Reiss’s side came into the fixture having not played a game since the middle of September, when we faced Tottenham Hotspur on the road.

You have to go back even further for the last time we played at the Joie Stadium, when we beat Wolves 4-0 back in August.

Despite this, the Blues started positively as McAidoo and Braithwaite attempted to carve out early opportunities.

The encouraging start continued, but chances were falling for the visitors as well, and eventually they would turn home through Meite.

City were forced into an early change before the half hour mark as Marlow Barrett replaced Harrison Miles, but it wouldn’t affect our chances of threatening an equaliser as Braithwaite’s flick goalwards was stopped on the line by the Paris Saint-Germain ‘keeper.

Although we were unable to breach the PSG goal, there were many positives for Reiss to take into the break.

Second half proceedings unfolded in the same fashion as the first with the Blues creating chances but struggling to convert.

You felt City would eventually find a breakthrough after firing 17 shots on goal, but it would be Ayari who found the net on the counter attack.

It would end up to be a frustrating afternoon for Oliver Reiss’s side who can take a lot of positives into AEK Athens. 

How we lined up

City XI | Chabot, Headley (70’ Gorman), Drake, Noble (C), Braithwaite, Miles (15’ Barrett), McAidoo (85’ Woode), F. Samba, Lamb, Parker (46’ Oliver), T. Samba (70’ Midwood)

Subs | Lawrie, Vickery, Carrington, Nduka

PSG XI | Vignaud, Boly, Batbedat, Olax (C), Nzinga, Idder (85’ Nzala), Ayari, Koukaba, Tiehi (63’ Adnane), Meite (63’ Niakate) , Konate

Subs | Bar, Diagouraga, Mfutila, Bourdin

AS A RESULT

City are yet to get off the mark in the UEFA Youth League after two matches, but we still have four more to play.

In order to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition, Reiss and his team will need to place in the top 22 of the 36-team league.

The knockout stage includes a Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final, with the team able to win all five games to be crowned the best Academy team in Europe

Up next

City continue our UEFA Youth League campaign against AEK Athens on Tuesday, October 20. 

Kick-off at the Joie Stadium is set for 15:00 (UK).