By Olaitan Ibrahim
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) took a significant step towards the UEFA Champions League semi-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg of their Semi-final clash.
Ousmane Dembele’s clinical fourth-minute strike was enough to separate the two sides in a match brimming with intensity, drama, and missed opportunities.
The Frenchman pounced on a precise pass at the edge of the box and drilled a low shot beyond David Raya, with the ball ricocheting in off the post to silence the home crowd early on.
Arsenal, shaken by the early blow, gradually grew into the game. Gabriel Martinelli was twice denied in the first half – first dragging a strike wide in the 40th minute, and then forcing a sharp save from Gianluigi Donnarumma just before the break.
The Italian goalkeeper was in inspired form, also tipping away a dangerous long-range effort from Leandro Trossard in the 56th minute.
The turning point appeared to come moments after the restart when Mikel Merino thought he had restored parity. The midfielder met Declan Rice’s whipped free-kick with a thumping header past Donnarumma. However, celebrations were short-lived as VAR intervened and ruled the goal out for a marginal offside, much to the frustration of the home side.
PSG, while not dominating possession, remained a constant threat on the break. Desire Doué and Bradley Barcola both came close, while Gonçalo Ramos rattled the crossbar in the dying minutes as the visitors looked to double their advantage.
Arsenal pressed for a late equaliser, but PSG’s compact defence and Donnarumma’s heroics held firm to secure a crucial away win.
With the second leg to be played in Paris, Mikel Arteta’s men now face a daunting task to overturn the deficit and keep their European dreams alive.