Paris Saint-Germain reached the Champions League quarter-finals with a penalty shootout win over Liverpool, with Gianluigi Donnarumma proving to be the hero. (UCL Highlights | More Football News)
Ousmane Dembele put the visitors ahead in the 12th minute, but nꦅeither side were able to find a breakthrough for the remainde🃏r of the game or in extra-time, with spot-kicks deciding who would progress.
And Donnarumma was the difference, saving penalties from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones whic🌱h allowed Desire Doue to send Alisson the wrong way and Luis Enrique's side into the final eight of the competition.
Liverpool started on the front foot and only a fine block on the line from Nuno Mendes denied Mohamed Salah the chance to put the hosts ahead, with the Egyptian going ♏close again moments lateওr.
But, as the Reds did to their opponents in the first leg, PSG took the lead against the run of play when Bradley Barcola's ball intꦏo the box was cut out by Ibrahima Konate, only for Dembele to steal in and tuck home.
An end-to-end affair saw🐼 chances for either side in 💙the first half, with Diogo Jota heading over while a lightning counter-attack at the other end saw Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's curling effort deflect over Alisson's crossbar.
Liverpool then laid siege to PSG's goal after the break, with Donnarumma on hand to claw away Luis Diaz's h🦹eaded effort from a corner, before substitute Jarell Quansah, on to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, struck the post.
Doue then squandered two glorious opportunities in extra tim🤡e to give the Parisiens the lead, with Lucas Beraldo also heading narrowly wide of the far post.
But it mattered little in the shootout, with Donnarumma first springing to his left 🐼to thwart Nunez before diving the opposite way to deny Jones. And with PSG perfect after three penalt💎ies, Doue stepped up and riffled the ball into the top right corner to send the visitors through.
Data Debrief: PSG spoil Reds' treble hopes
Having stuttered in the group phase of the Champions League, Luis Enrique's side have found their gr🅰oove in the competition, with the hopes of ending their drought for the coveted trop🙈hy potentially coming to an end.
And they were perhaps unfortunate not to seal the tie earlier. PSG's expected goals (xG) of 2.56 is the most any visiting side has recorded in a game at Anfield this season in all competitions. Overall, the Reds ꦜconceded 4.35 xGA in this round of 16 tie with the Parisiens.
Nevertheless, PSG have now qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the ninth time, accounting for 41% of total appeღarances in the final eight of the competition by French teams (Lyon - five, Monaco four, four teams with one).
Liverpool, meanwhile, were eliminated from a major European knockout tie for the first t💯ime ever after winning the first leg away from home, progressing from 30 straight ties before Tuesday's shootout defeat.
