GENEVA: Chelsea and Bayern Munich emerged with narrow advantages from the opening skirmishes of the Champions League second round.
The Londoners forced a 1-1 draw away to Paris Saint-Germain while Bayern secured a goalless draw in Ukraine against Shakhtar Donetsk despite having Xabi Alonso sent off on his 100th appearance in the competition.
Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea are well placed to reach the quarter-finals after Branislav Ivanovic scored an away goal. A second-half leveller from Edinson Cavani meant Chelsea need to be at their sharpest in the second leg on March 11.
Chelsea advanced to the semi-finals at PSG’s expense last term on away goals after losing 3-1 in Paris and Demba Ba’s late strike back in London.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, returning in place of Petr Cech, made three saves from headers in the first half before Ivanovic’s header following a flick-on from Gary Cahill to a John Terry lefty-wing cross.
Cavani then equalised after losing Cahill to meet Blaise Matuidi’s cross and both the Uruguay striker and Ibrahimovic had chances to double PSG’s lead but Courtois was in fine form.
Xabi Alonso’s red card did not prove costly for Bayern Munich in Lviv against a displaced Shakhtar team who had not played a competitive game since December.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence with 25 minutes remaining.
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