Real Madrid 1 - 0 Paris Saint Germain: Substitute Nacho fires Real Madrid into Champions League knockout stages
Posted Wednesday, November 04, 2015 by PA
Substitute Nacho fired Real Madrid into the last 16 of the Champions League as they beat Paris St Germain 1-0 at the Bernabeu.
Nacho had only been on the pitch for three minutes when he benefited from a mistake by PSG keeper Kevin Trapp to score the game's only goal and seal Real's passage from Group A.
Real were without the injured Gareth Bale but Cristiano Ronaldo was to the fore early on, having a sighter from 30 yards comfortably saved by Trapp.
However, PSG went on to dominate the early stages.
Serge Aurier cut the ball back from the byline for Blaise Matuidi but the midfielder could only put it straight at Keylor Navas.
PSG lost influential midfielder Marco Verratti to injury early in the first half but they still came forward, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic going close with a curler and Angel Di Maria dragging a shot just wide.
Ibrahimovic then took aim with a free-kick some 25 yards out, curling a powerful shot around the wall and just the wrong side of the post.
Real were forced into a change when full-back Marcelo pulled up injured, to be replaced by Nacho, and moments later the substitute broke the deadlock.
A Toni Kroos shot 10 minutes before half-time hit Thiago Silva and the ball looped high into the air towards Nacho, who had continued his run forward.
With Trapp horribly out of position on the byline, Nacho coolly slotted the ball into the net first time from a tight angle for what was only his second career goal.
PSG forward Edinson Cavani had the ball in the net when he bundled home for a corner a minute before half-time, but an offside flag had been raised.
Trapp then showed he had relocated his near post with a save from Isco's close-range shot, before Cavani missed a golden chance in stoppage time.
The Uruguay striker was sent clean through by Di Maria but fluffed his attempt to lift the ball over Navas and Real were able to clear.
After the break Di Maria's shot was blocked by Navas, while Isco and Kroos could have doubled Real's lead only to be denied by Trapp.
Di Maria came agonisingly close to equalising with a minute left but his free-kick clipped the crossbar.
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