Two first-half goals gave PSG a very important win at home putting them in a good position to qualify to the next round. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of their opponents Liverpool, one of last season’s finalists is in danger of an early exit from the Champion’s League.
Juan Bernat opened the scoring at Parc des Princes with a low finish before Neymar doubled the lead from close range, only for James Milner to give Liverpool hope from the penalty spot, before the break.
PSG started the game in high-tempo with Edison Cavani losing an early chance to put his team in front after a poor control that would have left him clean through. Next Marco Verratti and Angel Di Maria combined to find Kylian Mbappe, whose effort was deflected. Before the 10-minute mark, PSG fashioned another chance after a Liverpool corner had been cleared as Di Maria’s strike from distance was parried by Alisson.
Neymar and Mbappe then linked, the former fouled by Milner but the referee playing advantage before the latter’s shot was saved.
But PSG did not have to wait long for their breakthrough, Bernat steering past the stranded Alisson from 10 yards after the ball had been prodded away from Mbappe.
With Liverpool struggling for momentum and the home side sweeping forward, Georginio Wijnaldum went into the book for fouling Mbappe but Neymar’s free kick eluded Marquinhos.
Milner then cut the ball back for Mohamed Salah on the edge of the area as Liverpool looked for a response, but his effort drifted tamely wide. After 24 minutes, Verratti went into the book for a heavy challenge on Joe Gomez before, with the half-hour approaching, Liverpool created a flicker of danger when Roberto Firmino’s cross was poked away.
Moments later, PSG threatened again when Neymar found Mbappe down the left and his low ball in was a whisker away from the waiting Cavani. Gomez was booked for fouling Neymar after 33 minutes, and things got far worse for the visitors three minutes later when PSG put themselves firmly in control.
The goal came from a rapid break down the left and, when Mbappe produced another low cross, Alisson denied Cavani only for Neymar to sweep the rebound into the corner from close range. But Liverpool grabbed a lifeline on half-time when Sadio Mane raced into the area and Di Maria sent him tumbling, Milner blasting the penalty past Gianluigi Buffon. Three minutes after the break PSG thought they had added a third, but Marquinhos was offside when he prodded home from Di Maria’s delivery.
