PSG stun Liverpool on penalties to make Champions League quarters
LIVERPOOL: Paris Saint-Germain produced a historic turnaround to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals at Liverpool’s expense as they triumphed 4-1 on penalties after a 1-0 second leg win at Anfield. Never in Liverpool’s history had they lost a European tie after winning the first leg away from home but Ousmane Dembele’s early strike brought the French champions level at 1-1 on aggregate. PSG were then perfect with their four spot-kicks, while Gianluigi Donnarumma saved from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones. Luis Enrique said before the game that the winners would progress to the final and PSG will be supremely confident of reaching the semifinals at least as they will face Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the last eight. A famous victory for the Parisians was deserved over the tie after they dominated the first leg only to be denied by the brilliance of Alisson Becker in the Liverpool goal before Harvey Elliott snatched a late winner. The roles were reversed early on and Liverpool were made to rue not making more of their chances. Brilliant play by Alexis Mac Allister should have created the opener on four minutes when the Argentine’s cross picked out Mohamed Salah, whose goalbound effort was deflected over by Nuno Mendes. Salah sliced wide another good chance on one of the few occasions he got the better of the determined Mendes. PSG took 10 minutes to ride out the storm from the home side before finding their feet. The visitors took the lead on 12 minutes when Ibrahima Konate could only turn Bradley Barcola’s cross beyond Alisson to leave Dembele with a simple finish. The French international has now scored 23 goals in his last 17 games and could have had more before the end of the night. Konate nearly made