Choupo-Moting: Hard to explain incredible howler

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was at a loss to explain his astonishing miss as Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 title celebrations were put on hold.

PSG were forced to wait to clinch the championship following a shock 2-2 draw at home to Strasbourg, which was headlined by Choupo-Moting’s incredible howler on Sunday.

After giving PSG a 1-0 lead, Choupo-Moting inexplicably stopped team-mate Christopher Nkunku’s goal-bound chip over goalkeeper Matz Sels on the line with his left foot just as the ball was about to roll into the net at 1-1.

Strasbourg then moved 2-1 ahead before Thilo Kehrer rescued a point for PSG with eight minutes remaining in the French capital.

All square. Shared points.

 #PSGRCSA pic.twitter.com/osHOOU1tqg

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 7, 2019

Asked about his miss post-match, Choupo-Moting said: “Even for me it’s hard to explain. I saw the pictures and I’m sorry because the ball was entering the met on Nkunku’s shot.

“There had to be a goal. At first I thought he was going to pass me the ball, then he shot. I thought the defender was going to counter him, that’s why I hesitated.

“I wanted to go to the ball, put it in the net… but it went very fast, it may not be easy to understand but it goes very fast.

“I wondered if I was offside or not. And if the ball was going to enter so don’t touch it… I had a bad reflex. I touched the ball, it stayed on the line and touched the post…I wasted this opportunity.”

PSG can seal their sixth Ligue 1 title in seven seasons by avoiding defeat away to Lille on April 14.