Key Takeaways
- Paris Saint-Germain hold a narrow 5-4 advantage after the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich
- Ousmane Dembélé scored twice for the French side, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also grabbed a double in a stunning attacking display
- The nine-goal thriller set a new record for the most goals ever scored in a Champions League semi-final first leg
Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich produced a match for the ages in the French capital. The nine-goal spectacle ended with PSG taking a slender lead into next week’s return leg in Germany.
The contest at the Parc des Princes broke new ground. No previous Champions League semi-final first leg had ever witnessed so many goals. Yet this was not a scrappy affair. Both teams displayed remarkable skill and constant attacking intent throughout the ninety minutes.
Bayern started brightly. Michael Olise troubled the PSG defence early on with his clever movement on the wing. The German side took the lead after seventeen minutes. Luis Díaz won a penalty when Willian Pacho fouled him inside the box. Harry Kane stepped up and calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way. The strike was Kane’s thirteenth goal in this season’s competition.
PSG responded quickly. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia levelled the score after twenty-four minutes. The Georgian forward drove powerfully through the Bayern defence before curling a precise shot into the far corner. The home side then moved ahead when João Neves headed home from a corner kick.
Bayern refused to buckle. Michael Olise restored parity with a wonderful individual goal eleven minutes before the break. The midfielder drifted past several defenders and fired a clean strike past the keeper.
The first half still had more drama. During injury time, VAR spotted a handball by Alphonso Davies. Ousmane Dembélé converted the resulting penalty to send PSG into the break with a 3-2 lead.
The French team extended their advantage after the restart. Kvaratskhelia grabbed his second goal in the fifty-sixth minute following good work by Achraf Hakimi. Two minutes later, Dembélé struck again to make it 5-2. The French winger cut inside and hit a firm shot that bounced in off the post.
Many thought the contest was finished at this point. However, Bayern launched a stunning recovery. Dayot Upamecano reduced the deficit with a header from a free-kick. Then Luis Díaz scored a brilliant goal after linking up with Kane. The Colombian beat his marker and smashed the ball into the net.
The final score stood at 5-4 when the referee blew the full-time whistle. Both teams received warm applause from the crowd. The second leg promises to be equally exciting when the sides meet again next week.