Liverpool substitute Harvey Elliott scored a last-gasp winner 47 seconds after coming on to earn a fortunate 1-0 win against Paris St Germain who outplayed their visitors during Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg match.
Elliott slotted home in the 87th minute against the run of play after a layoff from fellow substitute Darwin Nunez for a scarcely-deserved victory in Paris after goalkeeper Alisson had kept Liverpool in the game with a string of magnificent saves.
Liverpool’s goal was their first shot on target and second attempt compared to PSG’s 28.
“To go away with a win from here was probably a bit more than we deserved,” acknowledged Slot.
Luis Enrique’s PSG, who had won 18 and drawn two of their last 20 games, were left to rue missed chances as they contemplate a tough return leg at Anfield next Tuesday.
“We’re going to show the team we are, we’re going to show our character. We’re going to win there,” said their midfielder Vitinha. “With the game we played, the win was more than deserved. We had plenty of chances … we just couldn’t score.”
The aggregate winner will face either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the Champions League last eight.
DOMINANT HOSTS
PSG got off to a strong start with Liverpool’s attempt at a high press not lasting long.
The hosts had the first clear chance in the 16th minute when Joao Neves skied his attempt over the bar from Dembele’s cutback after the France forward had outpaced two defenders.
Alarm bells were ringing for Liverpool and they again escaped punishment in the 20th when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s superb curled effort was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
Bradley Barcola went down after a challenge from Ibrahima Konate, prompting another video check for a potential red card, but the visitors stayed with 11 men.
With Liverpool in survival mode, Alisson parried Neves’ 25-metre strike before denying Dembele. The ball went into the path of Barcola, whose first strike was blocked before his second flew over.
The Brazilian keeper’s firm hand was there again to stop Kvaratskhelia and he made saves left, right and centre early in a one-sided second half. “Without him, I don’t know where we’d be,” said goalscorer Elliott.
SUBSTITUTE THE SAVIOUR
Slot sent Curtis Jones and Nunez on for Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota hoping to shift the momentum but PSG stayed a notch above.
Alisson, again, stretched to tip away Desire Doue’s missile 10 minutes from time and he also played a key role in the buildup to the goal.
With the clock ticking down, Nunez showed his strength to win Alisson’s long ball and played perfectly into the path of Elliott, who calmly slid the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
“You could see they (PSG) had become a bit tired at the end,” added Elliott. “It was down to me to put the opportunity away and fortunately it went in.”
Alisson, who was named man of the match, said it was the performance of his life. “We had to be ready to suffer … It was a tough night for us with a happy end,” he said.
“We worked hard. We gave away so many chances … And then at the end Harvey coming in and scoring the goal. It’s unbelievable. A great story. A great night for us.”
–Reuters
