PSG avoids the trap

Facing Girona on Wednesday evening, as part of the first day of the Champions League, PSG came out on top in extremis, thanks to a blunder by the opposing goalkeeper at the end of the match (1-0).

The domination was almost total in the game. But for a long time, a very long time even, the Paris Saint-Germain players came up against the defense and the goalkeeper of Girona. For its first match of the season in the Champions League, the Parisian club knew that it had to win against one of the weakest opponents (on paper) that it would have to face in this first phase of the competition. While the Parisians wasted several golden opportunities, it was finally on an unexpected gift from Paulo Gazzaniga that they snatched the victory (1-0).

There were plenty of opportunities for Ousmane Dembélé and his team. In great form since the start of the season, the French international was dramatic in his final move this evening. For example, on this lightning counter-attack launched by Randal Kolo Muani, who played a perfect through ball. But while Dembélé had two options; either shoot at goal or pass it to Bradley Barcola alone on his left, he waited too long and allowed Krejci, who made a crazy comeback, to steal the ball from him (54th).

Gazzaniga, Arconada style

Dembélé, again, almost killed a pigeon on a first-time shot, while he was alone in the area (86th). Other Parisian players who showed themselves to be dangerous, Achraf Hakimi came very close to beating Gazzaniga’s vigilance, but the goalkeeper masterfully stopped the Moroccan’s cross shot (85th). For his part, Randal Kolo Muani also missed several opportunities (79th, 82nd). Without a solution, but continuing to insist, the Parisians were then rewarded.

A reward that came against all expectations, because on a seemingly harmless cross from Nuno Mendes, poor Paulo Gazzaniga, impeccable until then, rewarded the Parc des Princes with an “Arconada”, letting the ball pass between his legs while he was on the ground and thought he would catch it without any problem (1-0, 90th). A real deliverance for PSG and for the supporters of a Parc constantly behind their team, even in the strongest moments of frustration. If Paris did not manage to improve its goal difference, it at least won its first three points. Enough to provisionally rank tenth. On October 1st at Arsenal, it will be necessary to be much sharper.