PSG 2-0 Liverpool: Dominant Parisians take crucial advantage to Anfield | OneFootball

Liverpool lost their fourth consecutive away game for the first time since April 2012 as dominant PSG earned a 2-0 victory in their Champions League quarter final first leg.

Desire Doue struck early on in the game when his deflected strike looped over Giorgi Marmardashvili, before fellow Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled their lead in the second half taking him to 12 goal involvements in as many games.

The Parisians were wasteful with their control of the ball and should have been much more ruthless with many chances, with the Reds fortunate they have just a two-goal deficit to overturn in the reverse fixture.

As it happened

After 10 minutes both teams failed to threaten the goal. With neither side having a shot on goal. PSG were dominating possession with 87% but Liverpool appeared to be cancelling their attacks with their low block, five at the back formation.

However, in the 11th minute The Parisian’s sustained pressure paid off. Desire Doue turning inside the 18-yard box before getting a shot off. His shot took a wicked deflection and looped over Giorgi Marmardashvili to put the hosts ahead.

Liverpool’s first chance of the half came after 20 minutes. A corner routine was worked back to Dominik Szoboszlai before he delivered a brilliant cross with pace from deep. Matvey Safonov dealt with the cross brilliantly and punched clear before Milos Kerkez could get on the end of it.

Joe Gomez received the first yellow card of the game before the half hour mark. It seemed a firm but fair challenge and a fairly harsh booking for the Englishman.

Alexis Macallister was then shown the second of the game soon after. A clumsy and late challenge on Doue as he looked to run down the wing. A much more convincing booking compared to the first.

As the half hour mark was brought up the hosts were still in complete control. Liverpool failing to get out of first gear and unable to respond to the early setback. The reds trying to threaten from set pieces and long throws but to no effect.

Liverpool’s keeper dealt with a further nasty deflection following a shot from fellow Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian keeper doing well to parry the shot round the post.

The Parisians then had a further chance from the left-hand side. Nuno Mendes slipping the ball through to Doue who looked favourite to score. However, the reds goalkeeper stood tall and prevented further damage.

Soon after, Kerkez made a poor clearance into the path of Kvaratskhelia who struck the ball excellently but could only find the side netting.

Liverpool created their best chance of the half when Florian Wirtz clipped a ball in behind into the path of The Reds wingback, Jeremie Frimpong. The wingback should do better with his volley, but it would not have mattered as the offside flag had gone up anyway.

The last big chance of the half came courtesy of the hosts. They played the ball effectively from one end of the pitch to the other. The move beginning with a cheeky shoulder flick from Joao Neves.

The ball was worked to Doue who slid the ball across to Dembele on his favoured left foot. The ballon d’or winner had the time and space and should have done more to trouble Marmardashvili.

The referee brought the first half to an end after a minute of additional time. The Parisians looking the dominant team on the ball but failing to be effective with their great amount of possession.

Liverpool appeared to be trying to keep the game tight and hoping to go to Anfield next week with only a narrow margin between the sides.

Seven minutes into the second half, Achraf Hakimi created a good opportunity for himself. The fullback carried the ball well before outmuscling Kerkez. He saw his sight at goal blocked by Gomez.

PSG will be left wondering how they did not double their lead a few moments later. Kvaratskhelia playing a beautifully weighted ball to the overlapping Nunes. Nunes pulling the ball back to Dembele.

Last season’s ballon d’or winner once again found the goal at his mercy but smashed his shot over the bar. A chance he should have scored and one you would have expected him to at least find the target with.

As the hour mark was reached, the hosts still looked the more dominant side. Liverpool’s defensive game plan still being applied and trying to create the odd chance on the break.

Both teams appeared fairly settled with the current scoreline. Arne Slot clearly confident his players could overturn this deficit at Anfield.

However, Luis Enrique would have been the delighted of the two five minutes later. Portuguese midfielder Neves playing a fantastic throughball between Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch.

It found the feet of Georgian winger Kvaratskhelia who calmy took it past Gravenberch. Then driving further inside taking Gomez and Marmardashvili out the game before slotting into an open goal.

The Georgian moving to 12 goal involvements in as many games in the Champions League this season.

Not long after PSG were awarded a penalty when Konate appeared to come through the back of Warren Zaire-Emery. He looked to win the ball but bring down fellow Frenchman with the initial contact.

The Spanish referee was advised to go to the monitor. He overturned the decision as Konate appeared to make minimal contact and win the ball cleanly in a fantastic goal saving challenge.

Just before the 80th minute Arne Slot made his intentions clear when he made four substitutions at once. It appeared he wanted to bring the game back to only a one goal margin.

Andy Robertson, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, and Alexander Isak all thrown on in an attempt to minimise earlier damage ahead of next weeks second-leg.

However, The Parisians continued to dominate. Hakimi the latest to have a sight on goal and the Georgian keeper got down well at his near post to prevent a possible point of no return.

The Reds nearly found themselves in deeper water when Frimpong misjudged the flight of the ball. This allowed Dembele to run at Robertson before playing a one two with Lee Kang-In. Dembele’s effort then smashed off the outside of the near post as the Parisians edged closer to a third.

Two minutes later it appeared PSG were in behind again with Hakimi. He should have taken on an effort at goal himself but decided to pass the ball across the box to Nunes.

Nunes’ first touch was good but his second took the ball away from him and ended any sort of chance.

In added time The Parisians believed they should have had a penalty when central defender Konate appeared to push Mendes inside the box. There was a definite push and at the pace Nunes was running at appeared enough to bring him down.

Despite this, the referee waved initial shouts away. The incident went to VAR who controversially cleared it and agreed with the on-field decision.

This was to be the final incident of the game as the referee brought a close to the first leg after three additional minutes.

PSG were certainly the more dominant side but were simply not ruthless enough with some big chances going to waste.

Liverpool evidently came to keep the tie tight with their unorthodox five at the back system. However, they were undone multiple times and have an uphill task ahead of the second leg at Anfield.