PSG edge past BATE
Paris St Germain secured their place in the last 16 of the Europa League on away goals after failing to get the better of BATE Borisov in a 0-0 draw.
Peguy Luyindula's 89th-minute header earned PSG a 2-2 draw in Belarus last week and that ultimately proved crucial as the two sides fought out a goalless draw in the French capital.
The home side came into the game - their 150th in European competition - boosted by an overdue domestic win, their 3-0 hammering of Nice following a defeat to Rennes and a goalless draw with Lens.
And they looked keen to gain a vital early goal as they forced two early corners before Mevlut Erdinc, who scored PSG's first equaliser in the previous tie, saw his fourth-minute shot saved by BATE goalkeeper Aleksandr Hutar.
However, the rest of the first half was nothing to write home about with neither side able to create a chance worthy of the name in front of a sparse crowd of just 5,000.
It took until the 49th minute for any notable action as Zoumana Camara fouled Igor Shitov 25 yards from goal, but Renan Bressan's right-footed free-kick was drilled over the bar.
A similar result befell Filipp Rudik's shot from slightly closer in on 58 minutes and that at least sparked a response from the home side.
Seconds later they were down the other end and Jean-Eudes Maurice fired over the bar with a long-range effort.
The visitors were far from being overwhelmed though and Alexander Volodko tried his luck from 20 yards, bringing a comfortable save from goalkeeper Edel Bete.
Hutar also made a routine save at the other end from Jeremy Clement's shot before pulling off the save of the match in the 82nd minute.
Defender Marcos Ceara must have thought he had scored with a left-foot volley from 12 yards, but Hutar somehow tipped it round the post.
That kept BATE's hopes alive, but they were unable to find the necessary goal and PSG advanced to face Benfica in the last 16 after the Portuguese side saw off Stuttgart 4-1 on aggregate.
PSG 0-0 BATE: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: DSG
