1 day Ago
Paris Saint-Germain took control of their Champions League semifinal with a narrow 1-0 first-leg victory over Arsenal on Tuesday, thanks to an early strike from Ousmane Dembele at the Emirates Stadium. Dembele’s clinical finish in the opening minutes gave Luis Enrique’s side the perfect start, and they expertly managed the game from there, frustrating Arsenal with a disciplined and composed performance. With the second leg set for May 7 at the Parc des Princes, PSG now stand as favorites to reach the final against either Barcelona or Inter Milan as they chase a maiden Champions League title.
However, the Parisians will be wary of complacency, mindful of past European heartbreaks. For Arsenal, it was a bitter blow – their first home defeat in European competition in 18 matches – denting hopes of a long-awaited first Champions League triumph. Manager Mikel Arteta had labeled Arsenal's run to the semifinals a "beautiful story.
" The last chapter might make for frustrating reading, but they aren’t dead and buried just yet. The Gunners had beaten holders Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate to reach their first Champions League semifinal since losing to Manchester United in 2009. They could not replicate the swaggering display that blew Madrid away 3-0 in the first leg, despite a frenzied atmosphere as kickoff approached.
When Arsenal's players gathered for a pre-match huddle in the tunnel, Declan Rice implored his teammates to give everything as he roared, “If we don’t have the ball, we die.” A video message from Arteta played on the Emirates screens struck a similarly rousing chord as the Spaniard urged fans to raise the roof. But PSG had already eliminated Premier League champions Liverpool in the round of 16 and Aston Villa in the quarterfinals, after coming back from two goals down to beat Manchester City in the group stage.
Arsenal were the one English side they had failed to conquer, losing 2-0 in north London in October. However, PSG were without the influential Dembele for disciplinary reasons on that occasion, and Luis Enrique insisted his side were “more complete” seven months on. Dembele took just four minutes to prove the point as the France star started and finished a ruthless raid.
Taking possession in the center circle, Dembele worked the ball out to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who drove at Jurrien Timber with intent. Dembele had carried on his run into the Arsenal area, and Kvaratskhelia’s perfectly weighted pass picked him out for a clinical finish that went in off the far post. Having seized the momentum, PSG went for the kill.
Marquinhos rose to meet Achraf Hakimi’s cross with a header that was just too close to Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. Kvaratskhelia had a strong penalty appeal waved away when Timber appeared to halt the forward’s burst into the area with an arm around his chest. Kvaratskhelia was undeterred, forcing Raya to save after attacking Timber again.
Dembele was proving equally hard for Arsenal to handle. His clever run and pass reached Desire Doue for a low strike that Raya saved at full stretch. Arsenal had been outgunned, but they should have equalized just before halftime when Myles Lewis-Skelly’s sublime pass found Gabriel Martinelli, whose shot was superbly saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The Gunners thought they had drawn level two minutes into the second half when Mikel Merino headed home from Rice’s free kick. But their celebrations were short-lived as VAR disallowed the goal for offside against the Spain midfielder. Arteta’s men had the momentum, and Leandro Trossard was inches away from equalizing when Rice’s pass sent him bursting into the PSG area for a shot that Donnarumma brilliantly tipped away.
Feeling the shift in the balance of power, PSG looked to take the sting out of the game by playing at a slower pace. The tactic nearly worked to perfection when Bradley Barcola sauntered through, but with just Raya to beat, he dragged his shot wide of the far post. It was a woeful miss, leaving Luis Enrique holding his head in disbelief.
The PSG coach struck the same stunned pose moments later when Gonçalo Ramos fired against the bar from close range..
