PSG snatch late point

Blaise Matuidi's stoppage-time strike brought PSG back from the brink of defeat as they salvaged a 2-2 draw at St Etienne.

Blaise Matuidi's stoppage-time strike brought Paris St Germain back from the brink of defeat as they salvaged a 2-2 draw at 10-man St Etienne on Sunday. The defending champions looked to be heading for their first loss of the Ligue 1 season after conceding goals to Benjamin Corgnet and Romain Hamouma. But the dismissal of Fabien Lemoine allowed PSG a route back into the match and they responded with a volley from Edinson Cavani, before Matuidi's late heroics claimed a point which lifts Laurent Blanc's team back to the top of the table. The crowd at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard were treated to an enthralling match in which an upset looked on the cards from as early as the 11th minute when Brandao volleyed Hamouma's cross inches past the left post. ASSE then took the lead after 18 minutes with Corgnet's effort, sparked by Marquinhos' flick-on to the midfielder who then hit a first-time shot into the top left corner. The home side continued to dominate and Lemoine should have made it 2-0 on the half-hour but for the intervention of the crossbar to keep out his 30-yard lob. PSG showed signs of coming to life after the interval with a free-kick from Zlatan Ibrahimovic beating the wall but falling narrowly wide. But St Etienne were able to extend their lead six minutes into the half. Yohann Mollo's cross into the area was dropped by Salvatore Sirigu amd the ball fell for Hamouma, who planted a neat chip over goalkeeper . PSG's luck began to turn eight minutes later, however, when Lemoine was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence. And nine minutes later PSG were on the scoresheet thanks to Cavani, who combined with Maxwell before unleashing a volley into the net from close range. However, it still looked as if St Etienne would hang on for the points until four minutes into stoppage time, when Matuidi got the better of home goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier with a long-range cross-cum-shot which had a helpful nudge from Cavani on its way in.