Arsenal 1-1 PSG (p): Gunners defeated on penalties as Parisians lift Champions League again | OneFootball

Ollie Whitmore, Chief football news reporter

PSG defeated Premier League champions Arsenal on penalties to become the ninth team to retain the Champions League, denying the Gunners a historic double after a breathless 1-1 draw went the whole way at the Puskas Arena.

Kai Havertz blasted home into the roof of the net after just six minutes, yet yet his side’s stalwart defence gave into the hour-long pressure when Cristian Mosequera fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé levelled from the spot.

It took some world-class defending from Gabriel and goalkeeper David Raya to withstand the Parisian’s pressure while Mikel Arteta introduced several attackers, but penalties were eventually required for the first final in a decade.

Eberechi Eze missed Arsenal’s second penalty before being bailed out by David Raya, who kept out Mendes, and the responsibility fell to Gabriel to keep the Gunners in the Champions League.

His penalty cleared the crossbar to send the Parisian faithful into delirium, as PSG became the first team since Real Madrid to lift consecutive titles and denied Arsenal a second piece of silverware following their Premier League triumph.

As it happened

Havertz got Arsenal off to the dream start when a PSG captain Marquinhos drove a clearance straight against Leandro Trossard and into the path of the German, who kept his composure and smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

PSG were soon dominating with almost three quarters of the possession, as many expected them to, but there was no way through the red wall between them and David Raya as the Gunners, much like Havertz, kept calm under significant pressure.

Brazilian centre-back Gabriel produced two superbly timed sliding tackles to contain Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and then Désiré Doué when they danced their way into the penalty area, providing a solid foundation for the entirety of the first half.

Holding out for a narrow lead heading into the break, Havertz came agonizingly close to his second in first-half stoppage time, on the end of Martin Odegaard’s incisive through ball, but Marquinhos was across quickly to cut out the danger.

Arsenal’s resolute defence came unstuck just after the hour mark when Kvaratskhelia broke into the box from the left wing and got his body in between the ball and full-back Mosquera, who ploughed through the back of the Georgian.

Referee Daniel Siebert promptly awarded the penalty which was distpatched with confidence by Dembélé, sending Raya the wrong way to level the score after just over an hour of near-constant pressure.

The Gunners grew more ambitious while on the ball but found themselves exposed with under 15 minutes left when Kvaratskhelia swept a clearance away from William Saliba and saw his strike from the left deflect onto the post and wide.

Raya made a world-class intervention, one-on-one with substitute Bradley Barcola, who was released into the attacking half and had the pace to beat the last defender, to sweep the ball away from the Frenchman’s feet with five minutes to go.

Vitinha then fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box inches over the crossbar as Arsenal breathed another huge sigh of relief, before Barocla broke away once again but fired into the side netting as the whistle blew to signal extra time.

Arsenal were furious that they weren’t awarded a penalty in the 102nd minute when substitute Noni Madueke got tangled up with Mendes inside the penalty area, with Declan Rice being booked for his protests while the check was ongoing.

There was a suggestion that Madueke had initiated the contact with a pull that sent the wing-back tumbling behind him, but the on-field call stood and the contest edged ever closer to penalties.

It was another heart-in-mouth moment for Raya in the second period of extra time when he sprang forward to clear Barcola’s header back across goal with a flying punch, beating substitute Gonçalo Ramos to the ball.

Eberechi Eze missed Arsenal’s second penalty before being bailed out by David Raya, who kept out Mendes, and the responsibility fell to Gabriel to keep the Gunners in the Champions League.

His penalty cleared the crossbar to send the Parisian faithful into delirium, as PSG claimed the trophy for the second year running and denied Arsenal a second piece of silverware following their Premier League triumph.

Penalties

Paris Saint-Germain: G. Ramos ✓ D. Doué ✓ N. Mendes ✗ A. Hakimi ✓ Viraldo ✓

Paris Saint-Germain – Arsenal Live Score