Atalanta 1-2 PSG: Player Ratings as late PSG comeback breaks Bergamo hearts | UEFA Champions League
PSG struck twice late in the second half to break Atalanta hearts as they came from behind to take a 2-1 win in their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal against the competition debutants in Lisbon.
Goals from Marquinhos and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting helped PSG overturn Mario Pasalic's first-half opener for Atalanta. Pasalic scored with a superb left-footed curler after Duvan Zapata fluffed his effort on goal following PSG's failure to clear.
The French champions were then stung into action and began to take control of the game.
However, after Atalanta squandered an opportunity to double their lead in the second half, PSG had to wait until the 89th minute fo their equaliser. That came when Choupo-Moting played a lovely ball over the top to Kylian Mbappe who slided it back to Marquinhos whose shot took a selection off Mattia Caldara before going in.
Choupo-Moting then sealed PSG's victory in the second minute of injury time. A sensational ball from Neymar set Mbappe through on the left. The Frenchman then squared the ball across the face of goal for the Cameroonian to tap into an empty net.
As Gian Piero Gasperini and his valiant Atalanta side bow out of the competition with their heads held high, let us take a look at the player ratings of both teams.
Atalanta Player Ratings
Marco Sportiello - 7/10
There was not much Sportiello could have done about either PSG goal, but he played his part in keeping Atalanta's lead alive till the penultimate minute of regulation time. He made a couple of smart saves when Mbappe faced up to him one-on-one and was generally assured with his presence in between the sticks.
Rafael Toloi - 7/10
Toloi was the most impressive of the Atalanta back three. He never backed down from facing up to Neymar and put in some impressive tackles.
Mattia Caldara - 4/10
Caldara had a poor game and was given a right working over by Neymar and Mbappe as his lack of pace was brutally exposed by the PSG attackers.
Berat Djimsiti - 5/10
As PSG mostly attacked down the left, Djimsiti wasn't overly worked defensively. He was a presence in the PSG box while attacking set-pieces. Djimsiti would feel that he should've put Atalanta 2-0 up when he had a wild swipe at a loose ball after a set piece.
Hans Hateboer - 5/10
By the time Mbappe came on and ran rings around him, Hateboer was a tired man who looked like his race was run. He switched off while defending the ball from Choupo-Moting to Mbappe that enabled the young Frenchman to set up PSG's equaliser.
Marten de Roon - 6/10
At the heart of the Atalanta midfield, De Roon was a warrior. That was epitomised in the Dutchman flying into tackles even after getting booked. He was the only Atalanta midfielder who came to grips with Neymar playing through the middle.
Remo Freuler - 5/10
Like De Roon, Freuler too was fearless in the tackle even after getting booked. But Atalanta would've liked some more composure from him when they had possession. However, with the brutal Serie A schedule Atalanta have come through since the restart, it is difficult to blame the players for looking jaded as the match wore on.
Robin Gosens - 5/10
Gosens' usual, adventurous self was missing in this game. He could've imposed himself on Kehrer as PSG did not really play anyone down the right wing.
Mario Pasalic - 7/10
It was a lovely finish from Pasalic to score Atalanta's only goal of the night, which put them ahead. However, he didn't see much of the ball in the best of areas after that as PSG imposed their control on possession.
Alejandro Gomez - 6/10
The Atalanta skipper didn't really have the most impressive game. It looked like Gomez's movement was hindered by some sort of injury. Even then, his crosses from set pieces were outstanding. He could've also had an assist had Navas not made an excellent save off a Hateboer header.
Duvan Zapata - 4/10
He didn't really hold up the ball well enough, nor did he make enough runs in behind the PSG defence. In the second half, Zapata looked tired and failed to get in line with the PSG defence who played him offside.
Atalanta Substitutes:
Ruslan Malinovskiy - 4/10
The Ukrainian didn't really get enough touches on the ball after coming on early in the second half as PSG barely ceded possession to the Italian side.
Jose Luis Palomino - 6/10
He made a sensational block to deny Mbappe for what looked like a certain goal. But like the rest of the Atalanta defence, he was caught out twice late in the game.
Luis Muriel - 5/10
The Colombian could have scored a late leveller for Atalanta to make it 2-2 but got himself in a tangle after being in a good position, eventually failing to get his shot away.
Timothy Castagne - N/A
The Belgian wing-back replaced Gosens late in the game.
Jacopo Da Riva - N/A
The youngster replaced Zapata late in the game, but like Castagne, barely had a touch of the ball.