Chelsea get key away goal in PSG cup tie

Branislav Ivanovic scored yet another key goal for Chelsea

Branislav Ivanovic's key away goal helped Chelsea secure a 1-1 Champions League last-16 first leg draw at Paris Saint-Germain.

Jose Mourinho's side barely threatened in the game at the Parc des Princes, but they broke the deadlock during the first half when the Blues' full-back headed in after a rare attack.

However Chelsea's bid to become the first team to win a European game in Paris at the 33rd attempt was thwarted after the break when the hosts upped the tempo and deservedly levelled through Edinson Cavani.

The tie is finely poised going into the second leg at Stamford Bridge but Chelsea will no doubt feel confident that they can finish the job in front of their own fans and progress to the quarter-finals.

Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois produced two good saves in the space of the 11th minute to keep out PSG in their first real attack on goal.

The towering Belgium international custodian did well to parry a strong header from Blaise Matuidi who ran on to a Cavani chip into the area from the left.

And when Chelsea failed to fully clear their lines Matuidi turned provider down the left to cross for Zlatan Ibrahimovic but Courtois managed to push away his close-range header.

In the 19th minute Ibrahimovic created an opening from outside the area but Ramires was on hand to block the shot at goal on the edge of his own box.

It took Chelsea until the 25th minute to launch their first attack with Cesc Fabregas collecting a Nemanja Matic pass before teeing up Eden Hazard down the right, but his low cross-shot was well held by PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.

On the half-hour John Terry tried to get on the end of a Fabregas free kick whipped in towards the back post from the left but Sirigu was alert to come off his line and punched clear.

PSG came back to carve out another chance on 34 minutes when Courtois was on hand to push a Cavani header past his front post after he got on the end of an Ezequiel Lavezzi corner from the right.

Two minutes later Chelsea went ahead with a goal out of the blue when Terry's low cross in from the left was flicked into the air by Gary Cahill and Ivanovic was on hand to send a header over Sirigu who was stood well off his line and stranded.

Right on half time PSG won a dangerous free kick just outside the Chelsea area but Ibrahimovic's right-foot strike curled away from the far top corner of the net.

The hosts came out with renewed vigour after the break and it was no surprise when they equalised nine minutes into the second half.

Maxwell picked out the run of Matuidi down the left and his cross from the by-line dropped over Cahill and fell to Cavani who guided his header past Courtois.

Courtois denied PSG a second on the hour when he got down low to save Ibrahimovic's left-foot strike inside the area before Lavezzi's follow-up effort was blocked by Terry and then Cesar Azpilicueta completed the clearance off his own line.

David Luiz went close against his former team-mates on 66 minutes when he flicked on a free kick from the left towards goal but Courtois managed to get his finger tips to the ball to divert it over his own crossbar.

PSG continued to push for a winner late on and almost snatched one in stoppage time when Ibrahimovic sent a downward header towards goal but Courtois did very well to read the bounce of the ball and parried it wide.