Harvey Elliott scored lower than a minute after approaching as a late substitute to fireplace Liverpool to a surprising 1-0 win at Paris Saint-Germain within the first leg of the Champions League spherical of 16.
Runaway Premier League chief Liverpool had survived a barrage of assaults at Parc des Princes to maintain the rating at 0-0 going into the ultimate levels on Wednesday (March 5, 2025).
Elliott was despatched on to exchange Mohamed Salah within the 86th minute and have become an unlikely hero by sweeping a low shot into the nook of the online with his first contact of the match.
“To go away with a win over here was probably a bit more than we deserved,” Liverpool coach Arne Slot admitted after watching goalkeeper Alisson pull off a string of saves in a match dominated by PSG.
Bayern Munich took an enormous step towards the quarterfinals with a 3-0 win in opposition to German champion Bayer Leverkusen and 10-man Barcelona beat Benfica 1-0.
Inter Milan gained 2-0 at Feyenoord.
Liverpool’s Alisson to the rescue
PSG’s gamers will probably be left questioning how they did not take a lead into subsequent Tuesday’s second leg at Anfield after making a slew of possibilities. January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was excellent and repeatedly pressured Alisson into motion in every half.
Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson makes a save through the Champions League match in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain
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AP
The Brazil goalkeeper later described it as presumably the efficiency of his life after additionally denying Ousmane Dembele in a one-on-one and stopping one other effort from Desire Doue.
The one time Alisson was overwhelmed — by a curling shot from Kvaratskhelia within the first half — the purpose was dominated out by VAR for offside.
“It’s difficult to think about the match in a positive way. We deserved to win, clearly,” mentioned PSG coach Luis Enrique. “Football many times is unfair and we have to accept that, but we are ready to (go to) Liverpool. We don’t have anything to lose.”
PSG’s unbeaten streak ends
It was the primary time PSG had been overwhelmed in 23 video games in all competitions. Watching on from the stands was former PSG participant David Beckham.
Despite signing a bunch of famous person gamers just like the ex-England captain, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the French big is but to win the Champions League.
Liverpool, in the meantime, has lifted the trophy on six events and underlined its know-how on this competitors by absorbing the stress earlier than delivering a late sucker punch.
An impressed substitution by Slot helped as effectively. Salah had been unusually ineffective and seemed pissed off because the sign got here up for him to depart the sector. But moments later, Elliott got here up with the decisive second.
“For us, the only way over here with their fans behind them was to defend as we did and now we are hoping of course that our fans at Anfield will help us,” Slot mentioned.
Lautaro Martinez’s Inter document
Lautaro Martinez grew to become Inter’s all-time main scorer within the Champions League with his 18th purpose in European membership soccer’s most prestigious competitors, overtaking membership nice Sandro Mazzola’s document.
Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale celebrates scoring his group’s second purpose through the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 first leg match in opposition to Feyenoord
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Getty Images
Brazilian Adriano additionally scored 18 targets within the Champions League, however that included qualifying video games.
Martinez’s landmark purpose is notable, given some of the long-lasting forwards to have performed for Inter, together with Ronaldo, Christian Vieiri and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
He fired excessive into the nook of the online within the fiftieth minute in Rotterdam to double Inter’s lead after Marcus Thuram struck within the thirty eighth.
The 2023 finalist may have been in an much more commanding place after the primary leg, however however Piotr Zielinski’s penalty within the sixty fifth was saved by Timon Wellenreuther.
Raphinha strikes for Barcelona
Raphinha scored a second-half winner as 10-man Barcelona acquired the higher of Benfica once more.
The Brazil ahead had scored twice in an exciting 5-4 come-from-behind win at Benfica within the league section and he was on course once more on the Stadium of Light.
Intercepting a free go by defender António Silva outdoors the world, Raphinha despatched a left-footed shot into the far nook within the 61st.
Victory got here regardless of Pau Cubarsi’s pink card within the twenty second.
Advantage Bayern over Leverkusen
Bayern is eyeing the quarterfinals after a snug 3-0 win over 10-man Leverkusen, which had defender Nordi Mukiele despatched off within the 62nd.
Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane scores their third purpose from the penalty spot in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
Harry Kane scored twice to finish his 4 game-scoring drought and Jamal Musiala capitalized on a mistake from Leverkusen ‘keeper Matej Kovar to offer Bayern an enormous benefit going to Leverkusen for the second leg subsequent Tuesday.
Kane’s second purpose was a penalty, his thirtieth profitable spot kick in a row.
It was Bayern’s first win over a Leverkusen group coached by its former participant Xabi Alonso on the seventh try.
Published – March 06, 2025 02:09 pm IST
