A goal from Edinson Cavani secured a 1-1 draw for Paris Saint Germain with Chelsea as both of Tuesday’s opening Champions League last 16 first leg matches ended in draws.
Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk drew 0-0 at ‘home’ in Lviv against German giants Bayern Munich, who played the last 25 minutes with just 10 men as Spanish veteran Xabi Alonso marked his 100th appearance in the competition in unmemorable fashion by being sent off.
Chelsea had got the away goal that they were dreaming of when Branislav Ivanovic scored another vital goal for them in the 36th minute.
The Serbian’s header from Gary Cahill’s flick-on — another central defender John Terry having provided the cross — was his seventh goal in 53 appearances in the competition.
Cavani, though, levelled 12 minutes into the second-half as poor Chelsea defending allowed him a free header from Blaise Matuidi’s cross.
The Uruguayan should have won the first leg for the hosts when he wriggled free with just 10 minutes remaining and one on one with Thibault Courtois he poked the ball just wide of the far post.
Shakhtar — who are facing a tough fight to win their sixth successive league crown as they trail Dynamo Kiev by five points — looked like a side that had not played a competitive game since the group match against Porto on December 10.
The Ukrainian side — who have to play their games hundreds of miles away from home because of the fighting between rebels and Ukrainian soldiers — were give hope of at least taking a lead to Munich for the second leg when Alonso was sent-off for a second bookable offence.
Bayern coach Pep Guardiola greeted with the decision with a shake of the head and a grim smile and shortly afterwards decided to sacrifice a striker and remove Thomas Mueller from the fray sending on central defender Holger Badstuber in his place.
Bayern, who only have one win from six visits to Ukraine, then played it out for a draw which should give them enough when they host Shakhtar in the second leg on March 11. – Agence France-Presse
