Paris Saint-Germain took a great step towards the UEFA Champions League final with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the first leg of its semifinal on Tuesday night.
Ousmane Dembélé scored the only goal of the game in the fourth minute, finishing the post after a Khvicha Kvarathskhelia pass. The PSG was dominant from the beginning and managed to maintain its leadership to the end, despite the Arsenal pressure.
This was the first appearance in Arsenal’s semifinal since 2009. Mikel Arteta’s side improved after the slow start and thought they had matched when Mikel Merino went, but the goal was governed by VAR. The PSG Gianluigi goalkeeper Donnarumma made several key salvages, including a brilliant stop by Leandro Trosssard.
The PSG had the opportunity to increase its advantage at the end of the game, but Bradley Barcola lost a clear chance and Gonçalo Ramos hit the crossbar.
If the PSG can protect its advantage in the second leg at home next week, they will face Inter Milan or Barcelona in the final in Munich. The French team hopes to win their first title of the Champions League.
The Arsenal had defeated PSG 2-0 before in the tournament, but Luis Enrique’s side has massively improved since then. They already knocked out Manchester City, Liverpool and Aston Villa on their way to this stage.
