Draxler scores late on PSG scrapes 1-0 home win against Metz

Julian Draxler's header deep into stoppage time gave Paris Saint-Germain a 1-0 home win against Metz and spared the defending champion a fourth straight match without scoring.

After losing the Champions League final 1-0 to Bayern Munich last month, PSG opened its league campaign with a 1-0 defeat at Lens followed by a 1-0 loss at home to Marseille on Sunday in which three PSG players were sent off.

PSG finished this game with nine men after center half Abdou Diallo was red carded for a second yellow midway through the second half and left back Juan Bernat limped off injured near the end.

After missing a host of chances, another embarrassing setback looked likely for PSG until Metz goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja failed to properly clear Angel Di Maria's cross from the left.

The opportunist Draxler headed home in the 93rd minute to save coach Thomas Tuchel from more pressure.

“We had chances to score in the first half, but we missed all of our good chances,” Tuchel said.

Key midfielder Marco Verratti was sidelined with a minor injury, while striker Kylian Mbappé was also absent as he continues his recovery from the coronavirus.

Mbappé could return for Sunday’s difficult match away to coach Patrick Vieira’s Nice.

PSG was also missing Neymar, left back Layvin Kurzawa and midfielder Leandro Paredes against Metz. They were suspended after being sent off following a stoppage-time brawl against Marseille . Neymar claims he was racially abused during the game by Marseille defender Álvaro González.

But the league’s disciplinary commission said on Wednesday night that so far there is not enough evidence to summon the players for a hearing.

The disciplinary commission suspended Kurzawa for six games, while Neymar and Paredes each got a three-game ban plus one game suspended.