Liverpool stuns Paris St. Germain late in first leg of Champions League clash
Paris –
Liverpool substitute Harvey Elliott scored a last-gasp winner 47 seconds after coming on to help his side earn a fortunate 1-0 win against Paris St. Germain, which outplayed the Premier League leader during the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash on Wednesday.
Elliott slotted home in the 87th minute against the run of play after a pass from fellow substitute Darwin Nunez for a victory in Paris that Liverpool hardly deserved after goalkeeper Alisson kept it in the game with a string of magnificent saves.
Liverpool's goal was its first shot on target and second attempt compared to PSG's 28.
"To go away with a win from here was probably a bit more than we deserved," Liverpool coach Arne Slot acknowledged.
Luis Enrique's PSG, which had 18 wins and two draws in its last 20 games, was left to rue missed opportunities as it looks toward a tough return leg at Anfield next Tuesday.
"We're going to show the team we are, we're going to show our character," PSG midfielder Vitinha said. "We're going to win there. With the game we played, the win was more than deserved. We had plenty of chances ... we just couldn't score."
The aggregate winner will face either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the Champions League last eight.
PSG got off to a strong start with Liverpool's attempt at a high press not lasting long.
The host had the first clear chance in the 16th minute, but Joao Neves sent his attempt over the bar from Dembele's cutback after the France forward had outpaced two defenders.
Alarm bells were ringing for Liverpool, and it escaped punishment again in the 20th minute when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's superb curled effort was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
Bradley Barcola went down after a challenge from Ibrahima Konate, prompting another video check for a potential red card, but Liverpool stayed with 11 men.
With the Reds in survival mode, Alisson parried Neves' 25-meter strike before denying Dembele. The ball went into the path of Barcola, whose first strike was blocked before his second flew over.
The Brazilian goalkeeper's firm hand was there again to stop Kvaratskhelia, and he made saves left, right and center early in a one-sided second half.
"Without him, I don't know where we'd be," said Elliott said.
Slot sent Curtis Jones and Nunez on for Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota in a bid to shift the momentum, but PSG remained a notch above.
Alisson, again, stretched to tip away Desire Doue's missile with 10 minutes remaining, and he also played a key role in the buildup to the lone goal of the night.
With the clock ticking down, Nunez showed his strength to win Alisson's long ball and played it perfectly into the path of Elliott, who calmly slid the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
"You could see they (PSG) had become a bit tired at the end," Elliott added. "It was down to me to put the opportunity away, and fortunately it went in."
Alisson, who was named man of the match, said it was the performance of his life.
"We had to be ready to suffer ... It was a tough night for us with a happy end," he said.
"We worked hard. We gave away so many chances ... And then at the end Harvey coming in and scoring the goal. It's unbelievable. A great story. A great night for us."
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