PSG finish off Arsenal to reach Champions League final

Sinar Daily

4 days ago

PARIS - Paris Saint-Germain clinched a place in the Champions League final as goals by Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi gave them a 2-1 win over Arsenal in the second leg of their last-four tie on Wednesday, securing a 3-1 aggregate triumph.
Ruiz crashed in a shot from the edge of the area in the 27th minute at the Parc des Princes after PSG had withstood an early bombardment from the visitors.
Already leading in the tie after Ousmane Dembele's goal in last week's first leg, PSG then saw Vitinha have a second-half penalty saved.
However, Hakimi put the tie beyond Arsenal when he scored in the 72nd minute, even if Bukayo Saka did then pull one back for the visitors.
PSG's triumph sparked wild celebrations in the stadium and around the French capital, including on the Champs-Elysees, as they advance to a showdown in Munich on May 31 against Inter Milan.
It will be the second Champions League final in their history, five years after a defeat by Bayern Munich in Lisbon.
"We have worked hard as a club to get this and to deserve it. It has been a long, hard road," PSG captain Marquinhos told broadcaster Canal Plus.
"The job is done in terms of getting to the final but it's not finished, we want more. We really want to win the trophy."
Arsenal, meanwhile, saw their European dream come to an end as they fell short of reaching what would have been their second final, 19 years after losing to Barcelona in Paris.
Still without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, all that is left to play for now for Mikel Arteta's side is securing a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League.
"To do what we have done in Paris today against this team is remarkable, but the fact is that we are out," admitted Arteta.
"Sometimes you have to applaud the opposition, and what the 'keeper did in both games. He won the game for them," he added of PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma.
There was an electric atmosphere all evening in Paris, and PSG were able to celebrate getting to a final in front of their fans for the first time, after their victory against RB Leipzig in the last four in 2020 was played behind closed doors during the pandemic.
There was a feverish mood in and around the ground pre-match, but PSG have tripped up in big Champions League ties plenty of times over the last decade.
In addition, their top scorer Dembele was not in the starting line-up having come off with a hamstring problem in the first leg.
Brilliant Donnarumma
Arsenal, with Thomas Partey back in midfield after suspension, did their best to silence the raucous home support by throwing everything at the Parisians right from the off.
Declan Rice headed just wide, and Donnarumma denied Gabriel Martinelli before producing a stunning save to keep out a Martin Odegaard shot, all inside the opening eight minutes.
PSG did eventually settle, and they almost went ahead on 17 minutes when Desire Doue teed up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose curling shot hit the far post.
Then Doue wasted a great chance but PSG did score before the half-hour mark.
A Vitinha free-kick was headed out by Partey but fell to Ruiz on the edge of the box, and he controlled before smashing in a left-foot shot as the ball bounced back up.
It was the ideal moment for the 29-year-old Spaniard to score his first Champions League goal.
Barcola failed to convert a good chance for the hosts to score again moments later, and Arsenal still had some hope going into the second half.
Only another stunning Donnarumma save with his fingertips prevented Saka from pulling one back on 64 minutes, before PSG were awarded a spot-kick.
German referee Felix Zwayer gave the penalty after being summoned to the pitchside monitor when a shot by Hakimi brushed the hand of Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Arteta was furious at the decision, yet Vitinha's kick was turned away by David Raya diving to his left.
Nevertheless, PSG made it 2-0 on the night when Dembele, on from the bench, teed up Hakimi to finish in style.
This being PSG, however, there was a wobble as Saka quickly pulled one back from close range after Leandro Trossard had got the better of Marquinhos on the wing.
Saka then somehow blazed over with an open goal gaping from Riccardo Calafiori's cross, ensuring that there would be no miracle Arsenal comeback and it would be PSG's night. - AFP