Dembele strike gives PSG the edge as Arsenal left to rue missed chances

 

Dembele Strike Gives PSG the Edge as Arsenal Left to Rue Missed Chances



Paris Saint-Germain claimed a narrow 1-0 win over Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Emirates Stadium, with Ousmane Dembele's early strike proving decisive. The Frenchman’s goal, which capped off a flowing 26-pass move, gave the visitors a valuable advantage ahead of the return leg at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, May 7.

Arsenal now face an uphill battle to keep their hopes of a first-ever Champions League title alive. Despite a raucous atmosphere in north London, Mikel Arteta’s side struggled to find their rhythm and were kept at bay by a combination of resilient defending and a standout performance from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Dembele struck inside the opening 10 minutes after a clever one-two with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, punishing Arsenal’s sluggish start. PSG dominated the early stages, carving out numerous chances, with David Raya called into action several times to prevent a wider margin.

The Gunners thought they had equalised through Mikel Merino just after half-time, but the goal was chalked off for offside following a VAR review—much to the dismay of the home supporters, who voiced their displeasure with referee Slavko Vincic throughout the night.

Arsenal did grow into the game and created several opportunities, most notably through Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, but both were denied by Donnarumma’s superb reflexes. Declan Rice also played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s improved second-half showing, but the breakthrough never came.

PSG, meanwhile, missed chances to extend their lead late on, with Bradley Barcola dragging a shot wide and Goncalo Ramos rattling the crossbar in stoppage time. The narrow defeat leaves Arsenal still in the tie, but they'll need a much-improved display in Paris to overturn the deficit and reach the final.


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