Arsenal vs PSG Report

Scorers: Dembele 4’

Ousmane Dembélé’s early goal handed Paris Saint-Germain a crucial 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final clash. His clinical finish ended the Gunners’ impressive 17-match unbeaten home run in European competition and gave the French champions a slender advantage heading into the second leg at the Parc des Princes.

First Half – Dembélé Stuns the Emirates

The tie was barely four minutes old when PSG took a shock lead. A slick combination between Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sliced through the Arsenal defence, with Dembélé’s precise left-footed strike going in off the post. The goal, Dembélé’s 25th of the year and 11th contribution in the UCL this season, stunned the home crowd and highlighted PSG’s intent.

Arsenal struggled to deal with PSG’s early intensity. David Raya was called upon to make key saves, first denying Kvaratskhelia and then producing a brilliant one-handed stop to thwart Désiré Doué. Arsenal began to grow into the match before halftime, with Gabriel Martinelli forcing a strong save from Gianluigi Donnarumma as the Gunners looked for a way back.

Second Half – Arsenal Frustrated

Arsenal thought they had drawn level just two minutes after the restart when Mikel Merino headed in from Declan Rice’s free-kick, but the effort was ruled out for offside. The disallowed goal galvanised the hosts, and they pressed forward with renewed energy. Donnarumma was called into action again, superbly saving Leandro Trossard’s powerful shot to preserve PSG’s lead.

There was a setback for PSG when Dembélé was forced off injured, with Bradley Barcola replacing him. Barcola immediately looked lively, setting up João Neves, who fired over from a promising position. Neves came close again after another flowing move, while Gonçalo Ramos rattled the crossbar with an improvised toe-punt, but PSG could not find a second goal.

What It Means

Dembélé’s early strike proved decisive as PSG take a narrow lead back to France. For Arsenal, the defeat ends a 12-match unbeaten run, and Mikel Arteta’s side now face a huge task in Paris if they are to reach their first Champions League final since 2006.

Key Facts

• Paris Saint-Germain have now won only two of their last six matches across all competitions.
• Ousmane Dembélé has set a new PSG club record with 11 goal contributions in a single UCL campaign.
• Arsenal’s 17-match unbeaten home run in European competition ended with this defeat.

For more info on this game’s outcome, you may also visit:
Arsenal vs Paris | UEFA Champions League 2024/25