PSG battled through pressure and injuries, securing their spot in the Champions League semifinals once again.
As part of the Champions League quarterfinal second leg, PSG traveled to Liverpool this Tuesday night with the advantage from the first leg (2-0).
PSG kicked off, and Vitinha played long into the opposing half (1'). Liverpool tried to press high, but PSG stole a ball through Doue. It arrived in the box to Dembele, who found Neves, but the control was not good (2').
Kvaratskhelia was found on the left side, he laid it back to Zaire-Emery, he shot hard and earned the first corner (3'). It was played in several sequences, and Kvara finished with a powerful strike straight into the arms of Mamardashvili (4').
Pool finally started its match, and Wirtz forced a first corner (6'). Isak cut it at the near post, but Safonov caught it easily (7'). From a long ball, Dembele launched Zaire-Emery, who forced the goalkeeper to come out. He managed to clear far to Dembele, who advanced and then shot with his left. Mamardashvili recovered well and saved in front of his line (10').
The Reds tried to respond, but Safonov caught Kerkez's cross (15'). A gentle free kick was caught by Safonov, cleanly, and a Parisian counterattack started. Dembele was found by Neves, he attempted a volley on the turn from 8 meters out but shot over (17'). What an opportunity for Paris, and what a waste considering Neves was likely even better positioned.
Isak thought he challenged Safonov and lost his duel, but he was offside, rather clearly at that (22'). Marquinhos shifted the ball very well to Dembele on the right side. The cross to the far post was good, but not the control from Doue, who could not shoot (25'). A blow for the Reds on an innocuous duel, Ekitike stayed down, and he seemed to have seriously injured himself (27'). He exited on a stretcher, and Salah came on to replace him (31').
Play resumed, and Liverpool applied pressure in the box from a long ball. Kerkez beat Hakimi to it, and Safonov made a crazy save on the ground, then Marquinhos cleared as Van Dijk was about to score (31st). Paris suffered but had counterattack opportunities, a shame that Vitinha missed the pass to Dembele, who was breaking toward goal (35'). Nuno Mendes was also injured, Lucas Hernandez warmed up immediately and came on (38'). Pool pushed, and Kvaratskhelia had to concede an avoidable corner, which was cleared well (40').
PSG regained possession and strung together two very nice phases of play, but Vitinha missed his final two touches near the goal (42'). Vitinha delivered a superb ball to the right side for Hakimi, who crossed to the 6-yard box, but Konate cut it out in front of Dembele (43'). Kvara dribbled past and crossed, Mamardashvili cleared as best he could, and Dembele sent his right-footed volley just wide of the post (44'). Pacho slipped, and Salah thought he escaped, but he was caught by the Ecuadorian. Doue thought he was breaking toward the goal, but he was offside (45'). At halftime, Paris held firm and was in danger only once. The Parisians could also have scored, but lacked precision in front of the goal. It rained heavily, and that bothered the players.
Right after halftime, Gomez and Gakpo replaced Frimpong and Isak, and Liverpool restarted play with a ball into the pack that Safonov caught after a clearance from Hakimi (46'). Doue came to defend and found himself thrown to the ground, but off the field, so the match was not stopped, and PSG was down to 10 men (48'). The Reds pushed hard, a handball was not called, and Gakpo shot. Safonov stretched very well on the ground (49'). On the corner, Gomez failed to catch it while Safonov was late (50').
Having returned to the field, Doue stayed down and complained, asking for the trainers to come on (51'). Barcola replaced him. Salah escaped down the right side, and Pacho cut him off, but then conceded a corner that Safonov punched clear (54'). Gravenberch advanced and shot hard, but it was well wide (55'). Salah was found and sent a chipped ball to the far post, but Kerkez completely missed his attempt (57').
While PSG was under total pressure, it had a superb counterattack opportunity, but Kvara passed to Dembele while he was offside (61'). The shots piled up for Liverpool, but Safonov caught Gravenberch's strike once again (63'). On an ordinary action, Liverpool benefited from a penalty for a foul by Pacho on Mac Allister (64'). The replay showed there was nothing at all as Mac Allister threw himself into the feet. VAR called the referee, and it was logically overturned. Having come on at halftime, Gomez came off, and Ngumoha entered, an offensive choice (67').
Barely on the field, Ngumoha forced a corner, Mac Allister took it at the near post but missed the target (69'). Salah was caught again in the box as he was breaking toward goal (70'). Ngumoha worked in front of the area and sent a very powerful strike, but Safonov was again impeccable on the ground (72'). PSG struck on the counter: Dembele was found in the heart of play and shifted the ball to Barcola on the left side. He took his time, then served Dembele at the 18-yard line. He feinted, dribbled past Mac Allister, and shot with his left just inside the post (0-1, 72').
Immediately afterward, PSG came close to a second goal: a long ball from Safonov for Barcola, who had broken free, he put it back to the center for Dembele in the middle, who was stopped by the goalkeeper (75'). Anfield took a big blow to the head, but the Reds continued to push against a PSG that held just as firm (79'). Paris had an excellent counterattack, but Dembele missed the finish, and the counter went the other way, but Marquinhos intervened again in front of Jones in the box (81').
Kerkez tried again with power, but Safonov was again impeccable on his line (87'). Barcola came very close to challenging Mamardashvili on a nice move, but Konate caught him in the box (90'). PSG added a second at the end: Vitinha launched Kvaratskhelia well, who found Barcola behind Konate, he then shifted it to Dembele at the far post, who finished calmly (0-2, 91').
The match was over, Anfield emptied, and PSG was in control against an opponent that still tried to attack, but the heart was no longer there (95').