Real Madrid book UCL last eight ticket, courtesy win over Neymar-less PSG

Real Madrid has booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League courtesy of a 2-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their last-16 tie in Paris.
The reigning European champions entered the match with a 3-1 advantage from the first leg at the Bernabeu, and finished the job in the French capital to march into the last eight.
The absence of Neymar meant that Angel di Maria started alongside Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe in the PSG attack, while Thiago Silva and Thiago Motta were both recalled following the first leg in Madrid.
A frantic opening 10 minutes saw both teams concede possession on a number of occasions, but PSG – and in particular Di Maria – were making things happen in forward areas.
It was Real Madrid that had the first half-chance of the match in the 11th minute, but Karim Benzema saw his effort from the edge of the box deflected over the crossbar.
Benzema had a wonderful chance to send the visitors ahead when he broke into the PSG box seven minutes before the interval, but the Frenchman’s low strike was kept out by Areola.
Di Maria then brought a smart save from Keylor Navas down the other end, before the Real Madrid goalkeeper kept out Mbappe’s low strike in the 43rd minute as the two teams headed down the tunnel at 0-0.
Cristiano Ronaldo had the first clear chance of the second period when he met a cross from Marcelo in the 50th minute, but the Portuguese saw his bullet header just miss the post.
Ronaldo made no mistake one minute later, however, with the attacker hanging in the air at the far post to head a Vazquez cross into the back of the home side’s net.
Javier Pastore came off the PSG bench just before the hour as Unai Emery improved his options in the final third of the field, but the French side were still struggling to create openings.
PSG were then reduced to 10 men in the 66th minute when Marco Verratti picked up his second yellow card for dissent, which left the hosts with a mountain to climb in Paris.
PSG registered in the 71st minute when Pastore’s header hit Casemiro before deflecting onto Cavani and in, which left the Ligue 1 leaders needing two goals in the latter stages to force extra time.
Vazquez struck the post in the 83d minute as the Spanish side looked for more goals, before Isco brought a smart save from Areola in the 90th minute as Real Madrid, who have become the first team to win at Parc des Princes this season, showed their dominance to ease into the quarter-finals.