Arsenal have been handed a tough task to reach the UEFA Champions League final after Ousmane Dembele’s early goal gave Paris St-Germain a 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
Dembele stunned Arsenal when he swept home a low finish from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s delivery only four minutes into the semi-final first leg.
PSG dominated the early stages with relentless attacking, and forced Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya into a superb save from teenager Desire Doue.
The hosts survived without further damage to work their way into contention, and once again giant Italian keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, as he was against Liverpool and Aston Villa earlier in the competition, was PSG’s hero.
The French champions felt hard done by in the first half when the referee failed to award them a penalty for Julien Timber’s block on Kvaratskhelia.
The towering Donnarumma then saved brilliantly from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard either side of the break, while Arsenal saw Mikel Merino’s header from a Declan Rice free-kick ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR check.
PSG had chances to extend their advantage late on, but substitute Bradley Barcola shot wide and Goncalo Ramos hit the bar after toeing the ball over Raya.
The win is PSG’s second in England in the Champions League knockout stages this season after they defeated Liverpool at Anfield by the same margin in the round of 16.
The French side have already eliminated two English clubs this term: Liverpool in the round of 16 and Aston Villa in the semi-finals.
