Liverpool was a lucky winner against Paris Saint-Germain during the first stage of her Champions League Last 16 draw, with Harvey Elliott’s late strike achieving an important victory.
The leaders of the Premier League had incredibly happy to enter the half -time level after giving a number of glorious possibilities to their hosts. Ibrahima Konate is also lucky enough to be able to avoid after Bradley Barcola was put down in the back.
PSG piped the Liverpool goal in the second half, but was stunned when Elliott provided the winner in the 87th minute.
How the game unfolds
The debate led to which of these two European juggernuts are considered favorites for their last 16 scrap, but it was the hosts who made the stricter start during the early exchanges. Ousmane Dembele’s breathtaking arrow on the right side was lined by Joao Neves when Liverpool treated her first warning sign.
PSG continued to suffocate its visitors in the course of the first half, with Var came to Liverpool’s salvation in the 20th minute. Khvicha Kvaratskhelias Exquisites Finish was abolished for an incredibly marginal offside call, the left heel heels of the Georgian went beyond the defense of the red.
Liverpool had the officials just five minutes later when Konate pushed Barcola to the ground when the 22-year-old drove through the goal. A lengthy VAR check occurred, but the decision without punishment or red card was confirmed -very much to facilitate the Unterfeuer visitors.
The reds simply could not deal with the ingenuity and the speed of PSGS forward triumvirate. The French side on the left caused their subjects curse when the visitors inexplicably stopped at their clean leaf. Dembele was denied by Alisson after some strangely uncoordinated defense against Virgil van Dijk, with two subsequent efforts somehow avoiding the net of Liverpool’s enchanting goal.
The visitors showed only a few signs of a shift in the narrative after the restart and were immediately under relentless pressure. They would have fallen back if the cat -like reflexes by Alisson, the Kvaratskhelias thundering free kick on the outside of the post in the second half.
Liverpool on the counterattack was encouraged much for all territorial dominance of PSG. The Reds often broke up with impressive figures, but there was no cutting edge for sales, in their own distribution and not able to test Gianluigi Donnarumma.
However, Liverpool finally broke through against the course of the game. After Alisson produced another breathtaking stop at the other end, they finally made the best of one of their forays when two substitutes were together. Darwin Nunez Teed Elliott, who fired in the back corner to secure a smash-and-grave victory to return to Anfield for the second legs next week.
Take a look at the PSG 0-1 Liverpool Player ratings here.
It would not be hyperbolic to say that Liverpool in Paris was torn into pieces for 85 minutes. The Reds were so far away from their best on Wednesday evening when defense, midfield and attack had all produced sub -depictions and difficulties to deal with PSG’s relentless rush.
The hosts managed 27 shots, ten at their destination and scored an expected goals of 1.82. For comparison: Liverpool made only two shots – one of them was the goal – and ended with a massive XG of 0.27. Oh, and Arne Slots side also had only 30%.
However, this is football and everything can happen. Liverpool will know how happy they were to earn everything from their trip to the French capital, which has been opened repeatedly without being finished. Var also demonstrated her friend on an extremely difficult evening.
But she doesn’t care a little. You have a precious lead to protect in Anfield next Tuesday, one that you will defend with your life. Liverpool deserves or not, has a foot in the quarter -finals and you will celebrate tonight.
Elliott will earn many headlines, but Alisson was the difference between defeat and ecstasy for Liverpool. The Brazilian was often exposed by the defenders in front of him, but only saved the Reds from a bloody and potentially catastrophic loss.
Alisson rightly claimed the player of the game after his inspired performance. He scored nine parades and prevented 2.26 goals according to the statistics, with some of the above stops that were worth winning a football game.
Lunging fingertips refused both Kvaratskhelia and replacing the desire Doue. There were also several teasing deliveries to the area that were professionally redirected, which brought the ball to safety under the test circumstances.
There may be a touch of repetition strains, but it could definitely be one of the goalkeeper displays of the Champions League.
Liverpool signed a Georgian contract last summer, but it was not Kvaratskhelia. The red recruited his compatriot Giorgi Mamardashvili before letting the goalkeeper withdrawn to Valencia for the season, with frequent connections with the then Napoli star Kvaratskhelia ultimately not occurring.
Since Mohamed Salah’s future was still in balance, when his contract edges approached the course, the followers Liverpool offered a look at the man who could have finally fulfilled his shoes on Wednesday.
Kvaratskhelia showed the entire repertoire of his talents. After scoring an extraordinary gate that was just offside, he aggravated the nervous backline of the red with his mobility and his lightning -fast feet. He purred under the parc of the Princes floodlights, often gave Alisson between red shirts and compulsion in agile jumps over his goal.
The 70 million euro man was too much proved to defend Liverpool and ended four shots on the goal and two opportunities in a performance with 11 touches in the opposition box, which really deserved the victory.