Late goal takes shine off PSG win

Paris Saint-Germain FC overcame the dismissal of midfield player Frédéric Déhu to take a narrow advantage from the first leg of their UEFA Cup third-round tie against Boavista FC.

Late goal
First-half goals from Alex Nyarko and Fabrice Fiorese put the Parisians in control at the Parc des Princes, despite Déhu's red card on 32 minutes, but substitute Luiz Cláudio's goal for the visitors 15 minutes from time raises Boavista's hopes for the second leg in Porto in a fortnight's time.

Nyarko opener
Neither side entered the side in the best form, PSG having lost three of their last four league matches while Boavista were still smarting from their Portuguese Cup exit at the hands of lowly CD Santa Clara. Yet PSG started the better and scored from their first opportunity, Nyarko steering the ball home from close range following an Andre Luiz free-kick. It was the Ghanaian's first goal in PSG colours since joining on loan in the summer.

Déhu dismissed
PSG lost Déhu shortly after the half-hour after he collected two yellow cards in the space of three minutes. Yet, despite the efforts of the dangerous Silva Filho, Boavista struggled to make their numerical advantage count as playmaker Erwin Sánchez struggled to impose himself on the game. Instead PSG doubled their lead on the stroke of the interval. Nyarko's pass set up Fiorese and he beat Ricardo Pereira in the visitors' goal.

Chances go begging
PSG had the chances to extend their lead in the second half. André Luiz and Gabriel Heinze were both denied by Ricardo and Luis Fernandez's men were left ruing this profligacy when Luiz Claudio headed Boavista back into the tie ten minutes after taking the field.