Champions League: PSG 3-1 Aston Villa as PSG record two-goal advantage in the first-leg tie
Paris Saint-Germain have recorded two-goal advantage over Aston Villa in their Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie.
Goals from Morgan Rogers puts Aston Villa in front; Desire Doue equalises for the hosts following a curling effort; Khyicha Kvaratskhelia nets the second and Nuno Mendes adds third for the French club to give advantage going into the second leg next week.
Champions League: PSG 3-1 Aston Villa
Nuno Mendes scored a destructive third goal for the hosts in the 92nd minute to give Paris Saint-Germain huge advantage over Aston Villa in their Champions League first-leg encounter.
Heading into the final minutes of the encounter, Aston Villa were leaving with just one-goal deficit having been cracked-in by the Ligue 1 champions, who recorded 29 shots and forced Emi Martinez into making seven crucial saves.
Morgan Rogers put Aston Villa ahead against the run of play in the first half before PSG attackers Desire Doue and Khyicha Kyaratskhelia made huge turnarounds with sensational efforts in both halves, but Mendes’ strike in the added time leaves Unai Emery’s team much to do at the Villa Park.
PSG bossed the match from the start as Villa could only manage to complete 18 passes 15 minutes into the game, but they survived the early scare and managed to take the lead in the 35th minute.
John McGinn dispossessed the ball from PSG’s left-back Mendes and drove it into the PSG half, releasing Marcus Rashford on the left.
Rashford also released Youri Tielemans, who was on overlapping, to square the ball for Rogers who had no other option than to tap in at the back post.
Shorting after the goal by Rogers, PSG reacted by forcing Emiliano Martinez into a fine save to parry Doue’s shot onto the left post but had nothing to about the teenager’s next effort.
The 17-year-old left-back cut inside from the left side and bent in an excellent curling effort that clipped the underside of the crossbar before it enter the right corner of the net.
Champions League: PSG 3-1 Aston Villa
The Aston Villa goalkeeper made two vital saved from Doue before the half-time but PSG pushed to make their dominance count four minutes into the second half.
Kyaratskhelia combined with half-time substitute Axel Disasi inside out before hitting a shot into the roof of the net.
Martinez, again, was called to action by making a stop to deny Achraf Hakimi, who eventually managed to beat the Villa goalkeeper but was flagged offside.
Although, Villa playing with caution, but were unable to deter further damage from being done as Ousmane Dembele released Mendes, who sat down Ezri Konsa and Martinez before putting the ball into an empty net.
‘Villa won’t overturn two-goal deficit’ − Paul Merson:
“I can’t see Villa overcoming a 3-1 deficit. They will need an early goal as I can’t see PSG not scoring.
“Villa were undone by three unbelievable goals. Martinez made a couple of good saves, but it was not like Alisson for Liverpool in the last round, and they were a threat on the counter
Champions League: PSG 3-1 Aston Villa
“It is just a shame to let in that third goal in the 92nd minute. PSG were the better team, but the way Villa defended, they deserved to come away with a 2-1.”
Our Mindset Remains The Same, We Will Win At Home – Emery
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery concedes PSG are favorites to make it to the next round of the competition after a late goal from Mendes gives them two-goal advantage in Paris.
Unai Emery said: “It was more or less the expectation I had before the match. Maybe there is not a lot of difference between 2-1 and 3-1.
“We will play at home next week and it will still be a huge challenge for us, but we will feel strong at home with our supporters at Villa Park.
“Today, we needed to be disciplined in defense and even when we were losing 2-1, we had three approaches in their box. More or less, we are right in our momentum to be close to a result.
“The last goal we conceded, we have to accept it. Our mind doesn’t change a lot – we have to win at home and by more than one goal.
Champions League: PSG 3-1 Aston Villa
“In the first half, we had three or four chances to get in their box, maybe only one chance to score. We needed to be clinical and we were in the first half, not in the second.
“We believe in our supporters, we believe in Villa Park and that the players can get the best performance next week.”
We have nothing to lose − Rogers
According to Aston Villa goal scorer: “It was difficult, they’re a really good team who are well organized.
“We knew we were in a fight and a little bit of quality from them and a few errors that could have helped prevent the goals but that’s football.
“We’ve got another leg to turn it around, we’ll throw everything at them to win the tie.
We’ll see where it takes us.
“We’ve got nothing to lose. No one had us to win. We have to just go for it. We’ve got the quality to turn this around. It’s not done yet.”
The Third goal boosts our confidence − Enrique
PSG Manager Luis Enrique said: “They scored that goal that felt a little difficult to accept but we just had to win that match and to score in the last minute was great for us and our confidence.
“We have to think about the second leg and it’s going to be difficult for sure.
“It’s important to believe in ourselves and the three goals were great, a lot of quality.
Champions League: PSG 3-1 Aston Villa
We’re very happy with the result. It will be difficult [at Villa Park] but we will try to play the same way – it’s our DNA.”
Player ratings:
PSG:
Donnarumma (6); Hakimi (7), Beraldo (7), Pacho (7), Mendes (8); Neves (7),
Vitinha (7), Ruiz (7); Doue (8), Dembele (7), Kvaratskhelia (8).
Subs: Zaire-Emery (6), Barcola (6), Ramos (n/a)
Aston Villa:
Martinez (7); Cash (6), Konsa (7), Torres (6), Digne (6); Kamara (6),
Tielemans (7); McGinn (7), Rogers (7), Ramsey (6); Rashford (6).
Subs: Disasi (5), Asensio (6), Maatsen (n/a), Onana (n/a), Watkins (n/a)
Player of the Match: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PGS)
Champions League: PSG 3-1 Aston Villa
