PSG vs Aston Villa Report
Scorers: Doue 39’, Kvaratskhelia 49’, Mendes 90+2’; Rogers 35’
Paris Saint-Germain will take a commanding two-goal advantage into the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final, following a confident 3-1 victory over Aston Villa at the Parc des Princes. The result also brought an end to Villa’s impressive seven-match winning streak in all competitions.
Bright Start from the Hosts Met with Resilient Villa Defence
Returning to face his former club for the first time, Unai Emery set his Aston Villa side up to contain the attacking might of PSG in the opening stages. Despite this cautious approach, the hosts quickly found their rhythm, forcing Emiliano Martínez into action through early efforts from Vitinha and Ousmane Dembélé. The Brazilian midfielder also fired narrowly over the bar as PSG pressed for the opener.
While Villa struggled to create much in attack, they effectively disrupted PSG’s tempo and gradually gained more control over possession as the half progressed.
Rogers Nets Against the Run of Play
Against the flow of the game, Villa struck with a brilliant counter-attacking move on 35 minutes. John McGinn regained possession on the halfway line and picked out Marcus Rashford on the opposite flank.
The forward then slipped a perfect pass into the path of Youri Tielemans, who delivered an inviting ball across goal for Morgan Rogers to convert. The clinical finish sent the away end into raptures and temporarily silenced the home crowd.
Doué’s Moment of Magic Levels the Tie
Villa’s lead was short-lived, however. Just a few minutes after falling behind, PSG responded with a moment of individual brilliance from Désiré Doué. Cutting in from the left, he breezed past Rogers and unleashed an unstoppable curling strike into the far top corner, restoring parity with a goal of the highest quality.
Doué remained a constant menace until the interval, unsettling the Villa defence and sparking wave after wave of PSG attacks.
Kvaratskhelia and Mendes Complete the Comeback
PSG picked up where they left off after the break and went ahead for the first time in the tie. Fabián Ruiz spread the play wide to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who breezed past Axel Disasi and rifled a fierce effort into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
The hosts maintained their dominance throughout the second half, carving out further opportunities. Achraf Hakimi came close, while substitute Marco Asensio—on loan from PSG—had a rare sight of goal for Villa in the latter stages.
Late Goal Gives PSG Breathing Room
Villa looked as though they might escape Paris with just a one-goal deficit, but their hopes were dashed in stoppage time. Dembélé threaded a ball through to Nuno Mendes, who showed composure to outmanoeuvre both defender and goalkeeper before calmly slotting in PSG’s third.
Second Leg Outlook
This 3-1 first-leg result puts PSG firmly in control heading into the return fixture, where they will look to complete the job and book their place in the semi-finals. With the Ligue 1 title already secured and a Coupe de France final on the horizon, the Parisians remain on course for a potential treble.
For Aston Villa, the task is now considerably tougher, but Unai Emery’s side will take heart from their attacking moments and look to mount a famous comeback on home soil.
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