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The Gunners were unable to make home advantage count as Paris Saint-Germain claimed a hard fought win
Paris Saint-Germain made a giant stride towards reaching the UEFA Champions League final after a 1-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates stadium.
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The Ligue 1 champions had a scuffed effort from French winger Ousmane Dembele to thank for the slim win, which now makes them favourites to advance to the final ahead of the second leg in Paris.
How it happened
Ousmane Dembele, who was left out for disciplinary reasons in the teams’ previous meeting, made a swift impact this time, netting within five minutes after a smooth assist from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
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Kvaratskhelia, a lively presence down the left, was denied a penalty after a dazzling run through defenders, yet PSG dominated early possession and opportunities.
Arsenal eventually clawed back momentum, with Mikel Merino’s surging runs causing problems in midfield. A penalty shout from the Spaniard was waved away, but replays vindicated Neves’ challenge with a perfectly timed tackle.
After halftime, Arsenal thought they had drawn level when Merino headed home, only for VAR to rule the effort offside. Gianluigi Donnarumma then made a key save to stop Leandro Trossard, Arsenal’s best second-half chance.
From then on, PSG focused on containment, showing discipline and nearly added a second as Bradley Barcola fired wide from a promising position, and Gonçalo Ramos rattled the crossbar in a late scare.
This first-ever continental win over Arsenal puts PSG a step closer to the Champions League final. However, with Arsenal expected to respond strongly in the return leg, the tie remains finely balanced.
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