PSG Edge Past Liverpool with Donnarumma Heroics in UCL Clash

After winning a rip-roaring last-16 second-leg match at Anfield 1-0 on Tuesday courtesy to a goal from livewire Ousmane Dembele, Paris St Germain advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals by beating Liverpool 4-1 in a penalty shootout.

While the visitors—who have never won the Champions League—converted all of their efforts, PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved penalty penalties from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones after the tie had concluded 1-1 on aggregate. Leaders PSG of Ligue 1 will meet either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarters; Villa leads 3-1 into Wednesday’s second leg.

With his 12th-minute goal against the run-of play, Dembele stunned the Anfield audience. Ibrahima Konate rushed in to stop Bradley Barcola’s attempt, but he pushed the ball away from goalkeeper Alisson in the process, so Dembele needed just to thump it into an empty net.

The earliest Premier League-leading Liverpool had let at Anfield in the Champions League versus Sevilla since September 2017.

After the Parisians had dominated, Arne Slot’s squad performed far better than a week earlier—when they needed a last-gasp goal from substitute Harvey Elliott—and Reds talisman Mohamed Salah had an effort saved on the goal line in the first few minutes.

In a tense game with supporters on the edge of their seats, Donnarumma was pushed into making an early diving save to keep away a shot from Konate. Both sides turned aside opportunities.