Arsenal proved they are likely to be Champions League contenders this year with a convincing 2-0 defeat of Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates tonight.
Kai Havertz set them on their way after 20 minutes and Bukayo Saka doubled the advantage not long afterwards with PSG looking lightweight in the absence of the departed Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, who was left out for disciplinary reasons.
Arsenal were not at their free-flowing best but saw out the second half with few alarms to register their first win in the competition this season.
The first period was largely one-way traffic with Arsenal dominating and PSG struggling to find a way through a frenetic press.
The visitors had Gianluigi Donnarumma back in goal following a three-game absence due to a thigh injury and the Italy international had to be alert after just three minutes to snuff out the danger as Gabriel Martinelli tried to wriggle through.
Donnarumma was flying to his right five minutes later but, luckily for him, the shot from Saka flashed just over the bar.
Havertz enjoys home comforts – again
The former Milan stopper was at fault for Arsenal’s opener after 20 minutes, however. Leandro Trossard cut in from the left-flank and clipped in a cross that was aimed for Havertz and the Germany forward rose above Donnarumma and planted his header into an empty net.
Kai Havertz heads Arsenal into the lead 💥
How about that ball from Leandro Trossard? 👏#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/Glzghe7GQm
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) October 1, 2024
It was the sixth successive game at the Emirates in which Havertz has scored.
PSG had offered nothing as an attacking threat in the first 27 minutes but almost dragged themselves level twice in four minutes.
First Nuno Mendes strode forward from left-back and fired in a shot that clipped the foot of the right-hand post before going wide. And shortly afterwards, right-back Achraf Hakimi got to the byline and his cross-shot required a smart…
Source link : https://www.101greatgoals.com/football/champions-league/arsenal-2-0-paris-saint-germain-match-report/
Author : Jon Fisher
Publish date : 2024-10-01 21:18:57
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