Man City beat PSG to reach first Champions League semi-finals

Manchester City reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time after a superb curling shot from Kevin de Bruyne gave them a 1-0 second-leg win over Paris St Germain that sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory on Tuesday.

Football Soccer - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England - 12/4/16 PSG's Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores a goal which is later disallowed Action Images via Reuters / Jason Cairnduff Livepic

Football Soccer - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England - 12/4/16 Manchester City's Joe Hart celebrates with Gael Clichy after the game Reuters / Darren Staples Livepic

Football Soccer - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England - 12/4/16 PSG's Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores a goal which is later disallowed Reuters / Darren Staples Livepic

Football Soccer - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England - 12/4/16 Manchester City's Joe Hart celebrates with Bacary Sagna after the game Reuters / Darren Staples Livepic

Football Soccer - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England - 12/4/16 Manchester City's Joe Hart celebrates with Gael Clichy after the game Reuters / Darren Staples Livepic

Football Soccer - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England - 12/4/16 Manchester City's Joe Hart celebrates with Sergio Aguero after the game Reuters / Darren Staples Livepic

Football Soccer - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England - 12/4/16 PSG's Kevin Trapp applauds fans after the game Action Images via Reuters / Jason Cairnduff Livepic

Football Soccer - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England - 12/4/16 Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini hugs PSG coach Laurent Blanc after the game Reuters / Darren Staples Livepic

Football Soccer - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England - 12/4/16 Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini celebrates after the game Reuters / Darren Staples Livepic

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MANCHESTER: Manchester City reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time after a superb curling shot from Kevin de Bruyne gave them a 1-0 second-leg win over Paris St Germain that sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory on Tuesday.

The Belgian picked his spot perfectly with 14 minutes remaining, firing past goalkeeper Kevin Trapp as PSG went out of the competition in the quarter-finals for the fourth successive season.

City should have taken the lead at the Etihad Stadium in the first half when Trapp brought down Sergio Aguero to concede a penalty, but the normally lethal Argentine fired his spotkick wide of Trapp's left-hand post.

City would have advanced on the away goals rule if the game had finished 0-0 or 1-1 following last week's 2-2 draw in Paris, but the final scoreline just about reflected City's superiority in a tense, dramatic match.

After a bright, attacking opening from City, PSG took control and played some flowing passing football.

Coach Laurent Blanc had opted to start with a three-man back line of Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Serge Aurier but switched to a 4-4-2 formation after Thiago Motta went off injured a minute before halftime.

Yet despite dominating possession, with Adrien Rabiot and Angel Di Maria linking well, PSG did not mount a serious attempt on goal, apart from a dipping free kick from Zlatan Ibrahimovic after 17 minutes which City keeper Joe Hart did well to tip away.

City came more into the match as their fullbacks Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy became more adventurous and their slicker attacking approach play should have paid dividends when Aguero won the penalty.

To the horror of the home fans, however, he missed the target with his effort.

The closet PSG came to a goal in the second half was when Ibrahimovic bundled the ball into the net in the closing minutes but was narrowly ruled offside.

(Editing by Toby Davis)

- Reuters