Arsenal 0-1 PSG: Dembele's early goal gives Parisians home advantage for 2nd leg

Ousmane Dembele's early goal propelled Paris Saint-Germain to a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie against Arsenal on Tuesday.

Match Report

Dembele capped a 26-pass move to stun the Emirates Stadium into silence in the fourth minute and, though Arsenal improved, they found Gianluigi Donnarumma in good form after the break and must now overturn a deficit in France.

PSG wasted no time in going ahead, playing through the Arsenal press to free up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian found Dembele on the edge of the area, and he sent a venomous left-footed strike off the far post and in.

With Arsenal well off the pace in the opening stages, PSG almost went 2-0 up, but Desire Doue's reverse shot was superbly clawed away by David Raya.

Arsenal grew into the contest in the final 15 minutes of the first half, though Gabriel Martinelli was unable to curl his finish around Donnarumma after being played in behind the visiting defence.

The Gunners thought they had an equaliser two minutes into the second half as Mikel Merino nodded Declan Rice's deep free-kick home, but after a three-minute VAR check, the semi-automated offside technology confirmed the Spaniard had failed to get back onside.

Leandro Trossard was then denied by another full-stretch Donnarumma save after darting into the left channel, while Bradley Barcola stroked wide of the left post after some clever link-up play from Kvaratskhelia and Goncalo Ramos.

Ramos also rattled the crossbar amid a suspicion of offside in the 85th minute, as PSG settled for a one-goal lead ahead of next week's second leg at the Parc des Princes.

Data debrief: Dembele the difference

Luis Enrique's Ligue 1 champions are not shy about their commitment to a possession-based style of play, and they came to the Emirates with a plan to control the game.

Dembele's goal came after a sequence of 26 successful passes from PSG, their longest for a goal in a Champions League match since Opta records began in 2003-04.

It was Dembele's 33rd goal in all competitions this season. Among all players from Europe's top five leagues, only Robert Lewandowski (40), Harry Kane (36) and Kylian Mbappe (34) have scored more.

That was the earliest Champions League goal Arsenal had conceded since another meeting with PSG in September 2016 (to Edinson Cavani in the first minute), and though they improved after the half-hour mark, five saves from Donnarumma – his joint-most in a Champions League game this season – kept them out.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

0' Highlight from Arsenal vs PSG

4' GOAL! Early first blood! Dembele scores within four minutes! Arsenal 0-1 PSG

10' Yellow Card! Trossard booked for halting a PSG break!

11' Doue cuts inside from the right but his low shot lacks any sort of power!

13' Marquinhos flashes header straight at Raya after a dangerous spell of pressure!

16' Kvaratskhelia dances past three on the left, goes down, but ref waves play on!

23' Kiwior attacks a free kick from deep but his header is easy for Donnarumma!

26' Kvaratskhelia drives into the left area, but his low shot is saved by Raya!

31' Doue's shot is saved by Raya as Fabian hits the near post, but he's offside!

38' Neves' crucial tackle stops Merino after PSG's giveaway and there's no penalty!

41' Trossard can't improvise attempt with any purchase from a flick-on from right!

43' Yellow Card! Saka booked for kicking the ball away in frustration!

44' Yellow Card! Hakimi booked for pushing down Timber on the charge!

45' Martinelli can't slide his shot beyond Donnarumma after pass from Lewis-Skelly!

46' Yellow Card! João Neves booked for the use of an arm in an aerial challenge!

47' Merino scores but VAR comes to conclusion that he indeed a long way offside!

47' Trossard's low shot for the far corner is diverted wide by Donnarumma!

55' Rice advances and finds Trossard, whose low shot for far corner deflected wide!

58' Neves made an excellent challenge on Saka outside box and it's not a free kick!

60' Dembele nearly set up Hakimi for a goal, but Saliba's vital tackle denied him!

70' Barcola on for Dembele!

74' Kvaratskhelia attempts a lob from midfield, but it doesn’t trouble Raya!

76' Goncalo Ramos on for Doue!

77' Saka wriggles past couple of defenders and forces a low save out of Donnarumma!

78' Neves arcs a 20-yard shot over the bar after PSG raided neatly down the right!

79' Kvaratskhelia cuts in from the left, but his shot soars over the crossbar!

82' White on for Timber!

83' Barcola's low shot goes agonizingly wide after a great assist from Ramos!

85' Ramos jabs a rising shot from inside the area againast the crossbar!

93' Martinelli skies a first-time shot over the top from the edge of the area!

Line-ups

Arsenal XI: Trossard, David Raya, Ødegaard, Merino, Rice, Martinelli, Saliba, Saka, Kiwior, Timber, Lewis-Skelly

Subs: Neto, Sterling, Zinchenko, Tierney, Ben White, N. Butler-Oyedeji, Jack Henry-Francis, Tommy Setford, Nwaneri, Ismeal Kabia

PSG XI: Marquinhos, Dembele, Fabian Ruiz, Donnarumma, Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Doue, João Neves

Subs: Kimpembe, Lucas, Safonov, Arnau Tenas, Kang-in Lee, Gonçalo Ramos, Barcola, Beraldo, Zaire-Emery, Mayulu, Mbaye