By Olaitan Ibrahim
Paris Saint-Germain delivered a commanding performance in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, thrashing Aston Villa 3-1 at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
The match began with PSG immediately asserting their dominance. Ousmane Dembele, with his trademark pace, had the first opportunity of the game in the 9th minute, but his shot was well saved by Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who kept his side level.
PSG continued to press, and in the 23rd minute, Dembele turned provider for Vitinha. The Portuguese midfielder curled a shot just over the bar from the edge of the box, adding to the mounting pressure on Villa’s defence.
However, it was Villa who struck first in the 35th minute. Youri Tielemans delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Morgan Rogers, who slotted it past PSG’s keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to give Villa a 1-0 lead. The goal silenced the home crowd, but the respite was short-lived.
Just four minutes later, PSG responded emphatically. Desire Doue fired an unstoppable rocket into the top corner of the net, bringing the score level at 1-1. The goal, coming from a brilliant setup by Nuno Mendes, injected fresh energy into PSG’s play as they sought to turn the tide.
In the second half, PSG came out with even more intensity. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who had been a constant threat, put the Parisians ahead in the 49th minute. The Georgian winger danced past Villa’s defence before unleashing a stunning shot that hit the post and flew into the top corner, leaving Martinez helpless. PSG were now 2-1 up.
Kvaratskhelia came close to adding a second just seven minutes later with another fierce strike from outside the box, but his attempt was blocked by a resolute Villa defence.
Despite continued pressure, PSG could not find the net again until the dying moments of the game.
In the 92nd minute, Nuno Mendes sealed the win for PSG with a fantastic solo run, cutting through Villa’s defence before drilling a powerful shot under the crossbar to make it 3-1.
Aston Villa, despite some promising moments, were unable to keep up with PSG’s relentless attacking play.