Ousmane Dembele Sinks Arsenal As PSG Take First-Leg Advantage in UCL Semifinal
- Ousmane Dembele's goal made the difference as Paris Saint-Germain stunned Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
- Dembele's goal was the Frenchman's 24th goal of 2025, and it proved to be the match winner
- Arsenal must need to overturn the result when they travel to the Parc des Princes next Wednesday to reach the UCL final
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Paris Saint-Germain snatched a narrow but vital 1-0 win over Arsenal in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
Ousmane Dembele was the hero for the French champions, scoring in the fourth minute with a brilliant first-time finish off the far post after a swift PSG move.
Source: Getty Images
The Gunners, missing Thomas Partey through suspension and Jorginho through injury, were caught cold by PSG’s aggressive start.
The Parisians dominated the early stages, exploiting Arsenal's defensive weakness, especially on the left, where Jurrien Timber struggled to stay composed.
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Arsenal fight back but miss their chances
Despite the early setback, Arsenal slowly worked their way into the contest.
Gabriel Martinelli had a golden chance to equalise before halftime, but was denied by a firm save from Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Mikel Arteta’s men thought they had levelled shortly after the break when Mikel Merino headed past Donnarumma, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside, Football365 reported.
Leandro Trossard came even closer with a low drive, but again, the Italian goalkeeper stood firm with a stunning stop.
The Gunners pushed hard, but lacked the spark and bench depth to truly break down a spirited PSG.
Arteta made just two substitutions, both forced, which raised questions about tactical flexibility and depth at such a critical stage.
PSG nearly double their lead late on
PSG had chances to extend their lead late in the second half but failed to punish the Gunners for their lacklustre defending.
Source: Getty Images
Substitute Bradley Barcola wasted a clear opportunity, dragging his shot wide in a one-on-one with David Raya, while Portuguese forward Goncalo Ramos also hit the crossbar moments later.
Despite their attacking pressure, Arsenal escaped further damage and kept their chances of reaching their first Champions League final in 19 years alive despite losing in front of their home fans.
However, the tie now swings in PSG’s favour ahead of the second leg in Paris.
With the away goal rule no longer in effect, Arsenal must win outright or face another season of Champions League heartbreak.
The Gunners will have Partey back for the return leg in Paris, while Arteta will be hoping players like Ben White, Ricardo Calafiori, and Kai Havertz might be fully fit for the important game.
Arsenal fans organise crusade
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Arsenal were looking to make history as they faced Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at the Emirates Stadium.
A group of Arsenal fans in Uganda held a Mass in honour of the club ahead of the Champions League semi-final encounter against Paris Saint-Germain.
In a TikTok post, the Gunners' supporters were seen singing hymns and engaging in praise and worship inside a church in Kotido.
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Source: Legit.ng
