Liverpool 1 – 0 Paris Saint-Germain
A goal from Harvey Elliott just 47 seconds after coming on as a substitute gave Liverpool an incredible 1-0 victory, putting them slightly ahead in the Champions League quarterfinal race.
PSG dominated the match with relentless attacks, keeping Liverpool under pressure for almost the entire game. However, thanks to a series of outstanding saves from Alisson, Liverpool managed to hold on. In the end, they struck back with a goal. Elliott made his impact immediately, scoring in the 87th minute after just 47 seconds on the pitch, giving his team a stunning win.
In the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 on Wednesday night in Paris, Liverpool triumphed 1-0.
Elliott’s goal was Liverpool’s first and only shot on target in the entire match, in the 87th minute, marking a remarkable moment. The English winger scored with his first touch after coming on as a substitute. In contrast, PSG had 27 shots, 10 of which were on target, but they failed to convert any.
While Elliott earned the glory, Alisson was the real hero of the match for Liverpool, making five or six crucial saves throughout the game.
This dramatic victory gives Liverpool a slight advantage in the battle to reach the quarterfinals. The return leg will be played next Tuesday at Anfield.
With this defeat, PSG’s 20-match unbeaten streak (18 wins, 2 draws) across all competitions came to an end.
PSG had the upper hand from the start, with their first notable chance coming in the 16th minute. Ousmane Dembélé’s cutback into the box was met by João Neves, but he failed to hit the target. Four minutes later, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia found the net after a fantastic move, but the referee ruled the goal offside with the help of VAR.
In the 26th minute, PSG appealed for a penalty after Ibrahima Konaté fouled Barceló in the box, but the referee waved it off. In the 29th minute, Alisson made an excellent save, denying Kvaratskhelia’s powerful shot from outside the box.
The Brazilian goalkeeper was in top form, making several more vital saves. In a one-on-one with Dembélé, Alisson used his foot to deny the shot, though the danger wasn’t fully cleared. A follow-up shot from Barceló was blocked by a defender, and Dembélé’s follow-up went wide.
In the 37th minute, Alisson saved again, this time blocking Kvaratskhelia’s low shot with one hand.
The first half ended with Liverpool’s first shot on goal in the final minute when Luis Díaz’s header from a corner went wide.
In the second half, Alisson continued his heroics, diving to save Kvaratskhelia’s free kick from 22 yards in the 54th minute.
Liverpool made a double substitution in the 67th minute, bringing on Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones for Diogo Jota and Luis Díaz.
Alisson came up with yet another fantastic save in the 80th minute, stopping a shot from PSG’s Djibril Djié in a crucial corner kick clearance.
In the 86th minute, Elliott came on for Mohamed Salah, and just moments later, he scored. Núñez controlled the ball, passed it into the box, and Elliott rushed in to score as the ball deflected off PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s hands into the net, sending the Liverpool camp into jubilant celebration.
