PSG earn vital win leaving Liverpool in trouble
Champions League Group C
PSG 2-1 Liverpool
Two first-half goals gave Paris Saint-Germain a crucial Champions League win over Liverpool, putting them in a great position to qualify and leaving Jurgen Klopp’s side, finalists last season, in danger.
Juan Bernat opened the scoring with a low finish before Neymar doubled the lead, only for James Milner to give Liverpool hope with a penalty seconds before the break.
PSG had half a chance within the opening minute when Edinson Cavani failed to control a long ball which, had he been able to do so, would have left him clean through.
Their high-tempo start continued as Marco Verratti and Angel Di Maria combined to find Kylian Mbappe, whose effort deflected away off Virgil van Dijk.
Before the 10-minute mark, PSG fashioned another chance after a Liverpool corner had been cleared as Di Maria’s strike from distance was parried by Allisson.
Neymar and Mbappe then linked, the former fouled by Milner but the referee playing advantage before the latter’s shot was saved.
But PSG did not have to wait long before their breakthrough arrived, Bernat steering past the stranded Alisson from 10 yards after the ball was prodded away from Mbappe.
With Liverpool struggling for momentum and the home side sweeping forward, Georginho Wijnaldum went into the book for fouling Mbappe and Neymar’s free kick eluded Marquinhos.
Milner cut the ball back for Mohamed Salah on the edge of the area as Liverpool looked for a response, but his effort drifted wide.
After 24 minutes, Verratti went into the book for a bad challenge on Joe Gomez before, with the half-hour approaching, Liverpool created a flicker of danger as Roberto Firmino’s cross was poked away.
Moments later, PSG threatened again when Neymar found Mbappe down the left and his low cross was a whisker away from the waiting Cavani.
Gomez was booked for fouling Neymar after 33 minutes, and things got far worse for the visitors three minutes later when PSG put themselves firmly in control.
The goal came from a rapid break down the left and, when Mbappe produced another low cross, Alisson denied Cavani only for Neymar to sweep the rebound into the corner.
But Liverpool grabbed a lifeline on half-time when Sadio Mane raced into the area and Di Maria sent him tumbling, Milner blasting the penalty past Gianluigi Buffon.
Three minutes after the break PSG thought they had added a third, but Marquinhos was offside when he prodded home a Di Maria delivery.
But the home side were failing to find the intensity with which they had started, Milner and Firmino linking before Thiago Silva cleared and Andrew Robertson’s cross then headed wide by Firmino.
PSG coach Thomas Tuchel had seen enough and made a double change, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Dani Alves replacing Cavani and Di Maria, with Liverpool bringing on Naby Keita for Wijnaldum soon afterwards.
Marquinhos had a header saved by Alisson as the home side tried to regain a two-goal cushion, but there was nervousness in the home crowd as the game approached its final 20 minutes.
Liverpool, who had brought on Daniel Sturridge for Firmino, then introduced Xherdan Shaqiri for Milner, but with 10 minutes to go they were under pressure as Neymar raced into the area and went down under Van Dijk’s challenge but the referee waved play on.
Mbappe shot over before being replaced by Adrien Rabiot as PSG held on to leave Liverpool needing to beat Napoli at Anfield on the final day of the group.
Tonight’s other Champions League results:
Group A
- Atletico Madrid 2-0 AS Monaco
- Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Club Brugge
Group B
- PSV Eindhoven 1-2 FC Barcelona
- Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Inter Milan
Group C
- SSC Napoli 3-1 Red Star Belgrade
Group D
- Lokomotiv Moscow 2-0 Galatasary
- FC Porto 3-1 Schalke 04
