Thieves among Princes: Slot's Reds steal epic victory in Paris thanks to Alisson masterpiece
GONE IN 47 SECONDS: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, first leg match at the Parc des Princes in Paris, France. Pic: Adam Davy/PA Wire
Arne Slot and Liverpool, virtually unplayable and certainly unstoppable in their march towards the Premier League title, switched to Europe where they pulled off the most remarkable win of this already memorable campaign at the Parc des Princes last night.
Liverpool were outplayed and only remained in this first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, thanks to a mesmerising display from goalkeeper Alisson and some committed defending.
But with just three minutes remaining, and Liverpool presumably more than happy to hold out for a draw, substitute Harvey Elliott scored with his first touch, 47 seconds after coming on, to complete one of the most stunning European wins, even in Liverpool’s proud history.
Fellow sub Darwin Nunez controlled a long ball from Alisson and timed his pass wide to perfection, the over-lapping Elliott arriving with impeccable timing to slot a perfect finish into the far corner which Gianluigi Donnarumma could have done much better with.
The game showed us all there is plenty of work for Liverpool to do in next week’s second leg at Anfield and Slot's men were certainly fortunate in the first half, with two VAR calls going their way and defender Ibrahima Konate escaping a red card.
But Slot, and his players, will still need to be at their very best, given that, in Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG had two forwards who were unplayable for long spells.
Dembele switched from his central role to the right-wing after 15 minutes and instantly made an impression, as he skipped past Andy Robertson on his way to the by-line.
His centre picked out Joao Neves who leaned back and sent his shot flying well over the bar from a dozen yards. When, seconds later, he won a corner with a similar run, Liverpool knew they were involved in a real clash of the European giants.
There was more to come, when Dembele cut into the middle and set off on a scintillating run that only ended when his shot deflected off Virgil van Dijk and flew wide.
Dembele took the corner himself and PSG thought they had taken the lead when new signing Kvaratskhelia curled a superb finish into the corner of the Liverpool goal, only to see it ruled out for offside.
It was an incredible slice of luck for the English side, replays showing Kvaratskhelia’s heel was inches offside, but there was no let-up from the hosts — on the contrary.
After 25 minutes, the lively Bradley Barcola chased a through ball and tumbled to the ground after a firm push in the back from Konate, which went unpunished on the field by the Italian referee and a lengthy VAR check.
That left the VAR decisions 2-0 in Liverpool’s favour and, more importantly, 0-0 on goals, although the visitors were not helping themselves by continuing with a series of unforced errors and errant passes.
And still PSG came. Barcola slipped a short pass to Kvaratskhelia after 28 minutes and the Georgian striker unleashed a superb 25-yard shot which Alisson saved well at the foot of his post.
Thankfully, for Liverpool, they had Alisson to rely on and on the half hour, after Barcola’s defence-splitting pass played Dembele clean through on goal, the Brazilian keeper made another superb block.
Barcola followed up, with Alisson well off his line, and his shot towards a goalkeeper-less net was well covered by Dominik Szoboszlai, before the PSG man fired yet another attempt well over.
It was PSG’s tenth shot of the night. Liverpool were yet to have one.
An 11th soon followed, Alisson covering himself in further glory as he managed to read a deflection off Konate and make a one-handed stop that diverted another Kvaratskhelia shot to safety after the electrifying PSG man had glided past two more defenders.
It was the final minute of the first half before the home goal even remotely looked threatened, after Diogo Jota tried, but failed, to control Andy Robertson’s pass. It was the closest Liverpool had come to a chance all night, and Donnarumma was far from bothered by it.
Slot must have been as relieved as his players to reach the interval with the tie still goalless and there seemed more urgency in Liverpool’s pressing as they tried to gain a foothold after the restart.
It did not help the nerves of the 2,000 visiting fans that Jota conceded a free-kick, for a clumsy foul on Kvaratskhelia, 25 yards out, eight minutes into the second half.
And it almost proved costly as the Georgian took the dead ball himself and forced Alisson into another impressive save, flinging himself low to his left to keep the ball out with his fingertips.
Alisson was, by some measure, Liverpool’s most important, and impressive, performer, as he proved again in putting a big glove on a dangerous Dembele cross and smothering yet another attempt from the PSG man of the moment Kvaratskhelia.
There was more to come from Alisson - superb stops from Desire Doue and Dembele - to set up the implausible finale.
Donnarumma 6; Hakimi 7, Marquinhos 6, Pacho 6, Mendes 8; Neves 7, Vitinha 7, Ruiz 7 (Zaire-Emery 78, 5); Kvaratskhelia 9 (Ramos 78, 5), Dembele 8, Barcola 8 (Doue 66, 7). Safonov, Tenas, Kimpembe, Lee, Hernandez, Mayulu, Lucas Beraldo, Mbaye.
Alisson 10; Alexander-Arnold 7, Konate 5, van Dijk 5, Robertson 6; Gravenberch 5 (Endo 79, 5), Mac Allister 6; Salah 5 (Elliott 86), Szoboszlai 7, Diaz 5 (Jones 67, 5); Jota 5 (Nunez 67, 7). Jaros, Kelleher, Chiesa, Elliott, Tsimikas, McConnell, Quansah, Nyoni.
D Massa (Italy) 7 Ends
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