Paris Saint-Germain might head to their first UEFA Champions League final since 2020 after defeating Arsenal by a slim margin of 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg of the semi-final.
Ousmane Dembélé finished a well-planned counterattack spearheaded by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia just four minutes into the match, giving the French powerhouses the lead. The early goal surprised the Gunners, who struggled to establish rhythm in the beginning but showed remarkable growth as the game progressed.
David Raya of Arsenal was denied a chance as Dembélé took advantage of a defensive breakdown to find space on the right and smash the ball into the roof of the goal. PSG’s aggressive start, as they applied pressure and tested Arsenal’s defense with their quickness and agility.
Arsenal responded with determination, creating several promising chances. Gabriel Martinelli was denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma halfway through the first half, while Leandro Trossard made another crucial stop from the Italian goalkeeper shortly before halftime.
The Gunners appeared to have equalized after Mikel Merino’s rebound, but the goal was disallowed for offside by a VAR review. In the second half, Mikel Arteta’s squad held the ball for long stretches of time but failed to score.
Gonçalo Ramos and Bradley Barcola, two replacements, tested Raya as PSG almost increased their advantage in the last minutes, but the Arsenal stopper held firm to rescue the game.
Luis Enrique’s squad will enter the second leg at the Parc des Princes on May 7 with a slender lead. The Parisians will feel confident after defeating Manchester City and Liverpool en route to the semifinals, but Arsenal now has the challenging job of eliminating the gap away from home.
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