Edinson Cavani climbed off the bench to seize the advantage for Paris Saint-Germainagainst Chelsea in the Champions League last 16 first leg.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic fired in a deflected free-kick to give the hosts the first-half lead before John Obi-Mikel smashed in from a corner to level just before the break.
But despite heroic Blues defending, Cavani finally made the territorial advantage count with a sharp finish to give Laurent Blanc's men the advantage heading into the second leg in London in three weeks' time.
Whether it's a lack of desire or an air of laziness or too many Kryptonite corn flakes, the all-conquering Blues of a year ago just aren't the same animal these days.
But cometh the Champions League hour, cometh the real Chelsea.
Such was the bus parking on show tonight the dearly-departed Jose Mourinho would've been proud. Dogged, defensive and defiant to the last this was what we've come to expect from these boys in blue in the biggest moments.
These nights are what they've always done best and when once again faced with a more talented foe they brought their A-game to the party.
And what's more, with John Obi Mikel's priceless away goal safely pocketed they may now believe they are actually favourites to progress.
Against the odds and anti-football it may be, but it's all very Chelsea.
Were it not for Eden Hazard's malaise or John Terry's waning superpowers, Cesc Fabregas ' fall from grace would be garnering a lot more attention.
After such a spectacular first season back in the English game last year Fabregas has been a shadow of his arch-assisting self this.
While he's improved of late - basically, since Mourinho got the chop - the Spaniard was superb this evening, employed in a deeper role than you might ordinarily expect.
Up against one of the best midfield trios in world football, Fabregas excelled and was the catalyst for a performance that gives the Blues every chance of progressing against the odds.
Until the weekend just gone, John Obi Mikel was an ever-present under interim boss Guus Hiddink and deservedly so after a series of top drawer defensive midfield displays.
Mikel showed tonight, in six very silly minutes, both sides to his infuriating game.
In the 38th minute, a very poor challenge on Lucas earned him a booking. A minute later came Zlatan's free-kick for which he provided the decisive deflection.
Mikel back to being Mikel again, you'd think.
But then minutes later he popped up at a corner just before the half to slam home the equaliser.
It's hard to overstate just how fast PSG rushed out of the blocks.
The hosts started firmly on the front foot and could have been three or four up before the half-hour mark.
But their profligate finishing gave Chelsea a glimmer and Diego Costa nearly made them pay big time.
Only Kevin Trapp's sensational one-handed save kept the Blues from taking the most unlikely and undeserved of leads into the break.
That chance aside, he ploughed a lone furrow all night long and was the precious out-ball his team needed time and again.
Like him or loathe him, the Spaniard always gives you a chance.
Whatever Louis van Gaal thinks, Angel Di Maria is an exquisitely fine footballer.
Tonight in Paris the Argentine showed everyone, including his former employers, all of the quality that made him the Champions League final's man of the match just two short seasons ago.
In the hosts' early blitz, the 28-year-old was central to everything PSG did well, which was an awful lot.
And he was tremendous thereafter too, providing the game-winning assist no less.
Unsettled or homesick or whatever, he certainly looks a player United could do with right about now.
Source : www.mirror.co.uk/
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