Ramos and Mbappe rescue PSG against Clermont
Paris Saint-Germain needed a late cameo from Kylian Mbappe and an 86th-minute equaliser by Goncalo Ramos to snatch a 1-1 draw with Ligue 1’s bottom club Clermont Foot.
With bigger tests to come, notably the first leg of a UEFA Champions League clash with Barcelona on Thursday (AEST), Luis Enrique named a youthful PSG line-up and handed full debuts to a pair of 17-year-olds, Yoram Zague and Senny Mayulu.
But the Spaniard would still have expected to comfortably beat a side that kicked off six points adrift of even the relegation play-off place.
However, he had to summon Mbappe from the bench with 25 minutes remaining and the France forward duly set up Ramos to secure a point.
Enrique was forced into an early change when Nordi Mukiele collided with Clermont keeper Massamba Ndiaye and had to be replaced by Achraf Hakimi.
PSG’s first chance fell to Ramos, who was teed up by the lively Mayulu, but his shot was deflected wide.
Ramos then laid the ball off to Hakimi, whose low shot was saved by Ndiaye.
Clermont won its previous visit to Paris on the final day of last season and threatened another shock when it took the lead, totally against the run of play, after 31 minutes.
It was a calamitous goal to concede, with Neto Borges racing down the right and sending a high, hopeful cross towards the far post.
Alan Virginius turned the ball back into the path of Habib Keita and when Manuel Ugarte slid in to block, the ball looped up over home keeper Arnau Tenas and beyond the despairing slide of Milan Skriniar.
PSG had the ball in the net just before half-time when Mayulu drove home from the edge of the area, but a VAR check spotted a clear foul by fellow youngster Zague in the build-up.
After the break Marco Asensio swung in a dangerous free-kick which Danilo Pereira headed into the side-netting.
Moments later Mayulu drilled a low cross into the area and Hakimi crashed his shot against the underside of the crossbar.
Mbappe, sent on for his 300th PSG appearance, saw his header saved by Ndiaye after Ramos had rattled the crossbar.
The visiting keeper then made a superb save to tip a Ramos header over.
But Ndiaye was powerless to prevent the equaliser when Mbappe split the defence open lo leave Ramos with a simple finish.
Mbappe could have won it in stoppage-time but his shot hit the side-netting.
