Amiens 2 Paris Saint-Germain 2: Champions falter as underdogs secure survival

AMIENS ENSURE SURVIVAL WITH PSG DRAW

Amiens SC are guaranteed a second successive season in Ligue 1 Conforama after holding champions Paris Saint-Germain to a 2-2 draw, with Moussa Konaté (47', 80') scoring twice at the Stade de la Licorne.

 Amiens SC 2-2 Paris Saint-Germain 

THE MATCH

Amiens held AS Monaco at the Stade Louis II last Saturday and they started brightly in front of their home support, with Quentin Cornette forcing Alphonse Areola into a save at his near post with less than a minute on the clock (1'). PSG - heavily rotated with one eye on Tuesday's Coupe de France final against third tier Les Herbier VF - nonetheless dominated possession thereon, and Angel Di Maria (16') and Thomas Meunier (20') were both unlucky not to see a Rouge-et-Bleu shirt get on the end of wicked crosses into the home box. PSG's dominance told midway through the half, though, Edinson Cavani latching onto Javier Pastore's through-ball to lash home his league-leading 28th goal of the campaign (26'). The recently-crowned champions nearly added another when Pastore found some space of his own, but his shot was blocked by Bakaye Dibassy (31'). Christopher Nkunku was the next to test Régis Gurtner's goal, but the Amiens custodian was well placed to punch the youngster's powerful shot clear (34'). Di Maria and Meunier combined with half-time approaching, with the former teeing up the latter, but Gurtner was once again on hand (42') and the sides went into the break with the scores at 1-0.

Amiens fightback

Amiens started the second half as they had the first: at break-neck speed, and a minute after testing Areola at his near post in a near carbon copy of the opening chance of the game (46'), Konaté scored a fine equaliser, bursting into the box before sending Areola the wrong way to make it 1-1 (47'). PSG soon settled back into their rhythm, though. Giovani Lo Celso saw a left-foot shot beat Gurtner but not the Amiens' 'keeper's post (52'), before Nkunku deservedly added his name to the scoresheet, picking up on Thiago Motta's pass before steering a finish into the far corner of the goal (64'). PSG should have made the game safe when Pastore found himself one-on-one with Gurtner, but not for the first time the goalkeeper came out on top (77'). Konaté happily profited from the Parisian profligacy soon after, racing clear on the counter before leaving Presnel Kimpembe standing and thumping his 12th goal of the season beyond a helpless Areola (80'). There was still time for Cavani to try a volley in the area at the other end, but Dibassy cleared the resulting danger (83') and it ended 2-2.

THE PLAYER: Moussa Konaté

Who else? Konaté was a constant menace at the Stade de la Licorne and has now written himself and his team into the clubs' history books. The Senegal striker had a game-high five shots on goal, each of them on target, and will surely be on the shopping list of clubs in Ligue 1 Conforama and beyond this summer.

THE STAT: 42 

Amiens are safe with 42 points after 36 Ligue 1 Conforama games this term. Christophe Pélissier's men have the second-best points haul of any team playing their first top-flight season since the turn of the millennium, behind Evian-Thonon-Gaillard, who racked up 49 points in their maiden campaign in 2011/12.