ARIS (AP) Neymar was sent off shortly before Edinson Cavani rescued league leader Paris Saint-Germain with an injury-time free kick in a 2-2 draw at rival Marseille on Sunday.
Cavani won the foul after being knocked over by forward Bouna Sarr, and stepped up to curl the ball in off the underside of the crossbar with goalkeeper Steve Mandanda slightly slow to cover.
GOAL! 😯
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) October 22, 2017
One last dramatic twist courtesy of @ECavaniOfficial! 2-2!
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“It’s an important goal,” said Cavani, after netting his ninth of the campaign. “It was difficult to play here in a tough atmosphere.”
It was down to Cavani to take the free kick because Neymar, the world’s most expensive player when he joined from Barcelona for $260 million, was sent off after picking up a second yellow card in the 87th minute.
RED! 🔴@neymarjr's first #LeClassique ends with an early shower.
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) October 22, 2017
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The Brazil striker reacted angrily to a cheap challenge from behind from Lucas Ocampos, and sent the Argentine winger tumbling to the ground at Stade Velodrome in retribution.
Shortly before, winger Florian Thauvin acrobatically volleyed home in the 78th minute from substitute Clinton Njie’s pass from the byline to put host Marseille ahead.
GOAL!
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) October 22, 2017
@FlorianThauvin puts @PSG_English on the back foot. 2-1.
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“You always have to make the run to the front post,” Thauvin said. “It was a great pass from him.”
Despite conceding the late goal, it was a confidence boost for Marseille after being routed 5-1 at home by PSG last season.
Marseille is fifth, four points behind second-place Monaco and eight behind PSG — which needed an injury-time goal to win 2-1 at Dijon in its previous league game.
“It’s bitterly disappointing, because we thought we’d done enough to win,” Mandanda said. “By the time I saw Cavani’s shot coming it was too late. But we should be happy and proud of our performance.”
PSG was heavy favorite, but Marseille twice took the lead.
Roared on by 60,000 home fans, Marseille scored in the 16th minute. Holding midfielder Luiz Gustavo was given too much room, and the former Bayern Munich midfielder advanced to hit a swerving 30-meter shot into the bottom left corner.
After Cavani missed a chance immediately after, Neymar collected a pass from midfielder Adrien Rabiot just inside the penalty area and drilled a low shot in off the right post in the 33rd.
GOAL!
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) October 22, 2017
It's #LeClassique and you better believe @neymarjr got the memo
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There were no PSG fans present due to security concerns but Marseille fans clashed with riot police before the game.