PSG outplayed Liverpool in Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg, but Liverpool substitute Harvey Elliott scored a last-gasp goal 47 seconds after coming on to win 1-0. Elliott scored in the 87th minute following a Darwin Nunez layoff for a less-than-deserved win in Paris after Alisson had saved Liverpool several times. Liverpool had one shot on target and two attempts compared to PSG’s 28.
“To go away with a win from here was probably a bit more than we deserved,” said Slot.
Luis Enrique’s PSG, who had won 18 and drawn two of their last 20 games, rued squandered chances ahead of a challenging return leg at Anfield on Tuesday. We’ll exhibit our team and character. Our midfielder Vitinha claimed we’ll win there. The triumph was well-deserved given our game. We had many chances but couldn’t score.”
Aston Villa or Club Brugge will meet the aggregate winner in the Champions League last eight. Liverpool’s high press didn’t last long as PSG started strong. After Dembele beat two defenders, Joao Neves shot over the bar from Dembele’s cutback in the 16th minute.
In the 20th, VAR judged Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s spectacular curled shot offside, saving Liverpool again. Ibrahima Konate’s challenge knocked Bradley Barcola down, prompting another video check for a red card, but the visitors kept 11 men.
Alisson parried Neves’ 25-metre shot and denied Dembele as Liverpool fought for safety. Barcola’s first shot was blocked, but his second went over. Kvaratskhelia was stopped again by the Brazilian goalie, who made several saves early in a one-sided second half. “Without him, I don’t know where we’d be,” said Elliott.
Slot substituted Curtis Jones and Nunez for Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota to change the tide, but PSG maintained their lead. Alisson again saved Desire Doue’s shot 10 minutes from time and helped set up the goal.
Nunez won Alisson’s long ball with his power and played it brilliantly to Elliott, who calmly slid it past Gianluigi Donnarumma with time running out.
“You could see they (PSG) had become a bit tired at the end,” he said. “It was down to me to put the opportunity away and fortunately it went in.”
Alisson, man of the match, called it his best performance. We had to expect pain… Our night was arduous but rewarding ” he stated. Worked hard. So many chances were lost… Harvey scored the last goal. Unbelievable. A excellent tale. Great night for us.”
