Key Takeaways
- Paris Saint-Germain will take a 5-4 lead to Germany for the second leg
- Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia each scored twice for the hosts
- Harry Kane converted a penalty for the visitors in a match that saw nine goals
Paris Saint-Germain defeated FC Bayern Munich 5-4 in a dramatic UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg on Monday night. The defending champions will take a narrow lead to Bavaria for the return fixture after an incredible nine-goal thriller.
Vincent Kompany, the Bayern head coach, watched carefully from the technical area during a quiet opening ten minutes. Neither side created clear opportunities until Pacho conceded a penalty to Luis Díaz. Harry Kane converted the spot-kick confidently, sending the PSG goalkeeper the wrong way to give the German visitors an early advantage.
The English striker nearly created a second goal soon after. Kane released Michael Olise with a clever pass, but the winger could not beat Matvei Safonov in a one-on-one situation. At the other end, Ousmane Dembélé wasted a golden opportunity when he shot wide after running through on goal.
PSG found an equaliser through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian winger collected a floated pass from Doué, cut inside, and placed a precise shot into the bottom corner. The game opened up immediately. Olise struck the post after a dazzling run past Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes, before João Neves headed PSG into the lead from a Dembélé corner.
Bayern responded quickly. Olise danced past defenders and smashed a powerful shot into the roof of the net to make it 2-2. However, Alphonso Davies handled the ball before half-time, and Dembélé restored PSG’s lead from the penalty spot.
After the break, Kvaratskhelia thought he should have had another penalty when he collided with Dayot Upamecano, but the referee ignored his appeals. He did not have to wait long for another chance. Achraf Hakimi’s deflected cross reached the unmarked Georgian at the far post, and he calmly side-footed home for his second goal.
Dembélé then grabbed his second of the night with a clever finish that fooled Manuel Neuer. The Ballon d’Or winner’s strike put PSG 5-2 ahead. Bayern refused to give up, though. Upamecano nodded home from a set-piece to reduce the deficit, before Díaz controlled a superb Kane pass and fired home. The goal stood after a VAR review.
Substitute Mayulu nearly added a sixth for PSG when his shot crashed against the woodwork in the closing stages. The tie remains perfectly balanced ahead of the second leg in Munich.