Khvicha Kvaratskhelia delivered a Champions League masterpiece as Paris Saint-Germain battled back to secure a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in the first leg of their quarter-final clash on Wednesday.
Morgan Rogers initially stunned the Parc des Princes crowd, netting for Villa in the 35th minute after a slick move involving John McGinn and Youri Tielemans. The goal silenced the home supporters and gave the Premier League side a surprise lead.
Kvaratskhelia then took centre stage with a stunning strike on 49 minutes, before Nuno Mendes added a crucial third in stoppage time, giving PSG a significant two-goal cushion to take into the return in Birmingham next Tuesday.
Having eliminated Liverpool in the last 16, Luis Enrique’s team are now in a very strong position to go on and reach the semi-finals for the second season running.
Villa, who had Prince William in the Paris crowd backing them along with his son George, will need to produce a memorable fightback at home if they are to make the last four of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 1982.
However, they can perhaps take inspiration from what happened the last time their coach Unai Emery faced Luis Enrique in the Champions League.
Back in 2017, Emery’s PSG thumped Barcelona 4-0 at home in the first leg of a last-16 tie, only to collapse at the Camp Nou and lose 6-1 to Luis Enrique’s Catalans.
The latter, now hoping to lead PSG to their first Champions League crown, was without suspended skipper Marquinhos here and also left Bradley Barcola on the bench for the first time in this European campaign.
That meant Doue and Kvaratskhelia completed the home attack along with 32-goal leading scorer Ousmane Dembele.
Villa came into this game on a run of seven straight wins in all competitions, as Marco Asensio, on loan from PSG, was named as a substitute against his parent club.
The visitors were happy to defend in numbers and the first half took place almost exclusively in their half, with Dembele setting the tone from a sizzling early strike which was tipped over by Emiliano Martinez.
The Argentinian goalkeeper, a hero for his country in the 2022 World Cup final against France, was loudly jeered throughout by the home fans and had a busy night.
– Villa strike first –
However, Villa snatched the lead against the run of play in the 35th minute.
Captain John McGinn robbed Mendes just inside the Villa half and picked out Marcus Rashford on the left. He then slipped in Youri Tielemans whose ball across the face of goal left Rogers with an easy finish for his 14th goal this season.
PSG hit back quickly, though, with Martinez nearly spilling a Doue shot over the line before the equaliser came from the corner which followed.
The hosts worked the ball from right to left to Doue, who stepped towards the penalty area before curling a fine strike beyond Martinez into the far corner.
It was the latest moment of magic from the 19-year-old, who recently won his first cap for France, but his strike was eclipsed by that of Kvaratskhelia as the Georgian put PSG ahead four minutes after half-time.
Emery had replaced Matty Cash at half-time with the right-back having been booked for a foul on Kvaratskhelia.
Axel Disasi came on but had no answer as Kvaratskhelia was released on the left by Fabian Ruiz and advanced into the box.
The former Napoli winger mesmerised Disasi as he rolled his studs over the ball before smashing a shot past Martinez, in off the near post.
Villa sent on a raft of substitutes including Asensio as they tried to find a way back into the game, while Achraf Hakimi had an effort disallowed for the hosts.
Dembele then released Mendes to make it 3-1 in stoppage time and leave PSG with one foot in the semi-finals.
AFP
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