Arsenal 0-1 PSG: Donnarumma unbeatable after Dembélé bags early opener in North London | OneFootball

Arsenal must come from behind at the Parc des Princes next week if they’re to qualify for the UEFA Champions League final, after suffering a 0-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in North London on Tuesday.

Ousmane Dembélé’s first-half strike was swept low past David Raya, and the visitors could have extended their lead when the Spaniard denied talented teenager Desiré Doué with an excellent save.

Gianluigi Donnarumma was in fine form between the sticks at the other end, twice denying the Gunners a leveller.

Mikel Arteta’s side looked to have restored parity when Mikel Merino nodded home, only for the goal to be ruled offside following a lengthy VAR check.

As it happened

A raucous crowd at the Emirates Stadium looked to be spurring Arsenal on well inside the opening minutes of the game, though the Gunners were soon dismantled by PSG’s potent front three as Luis Enrique’s side roared into an early lead. Jurrien Timber was no match for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with the Georgian able to tee up Ousmane Dembélé on the edge of the box – and the 27-year-old’s finish crashed against the post before sailing over the line.

PSG felt they should have been awarded an opportunity to double their lead when Kvaratskhelia was hacked down by Timber inside the box, though the Slovenian referee waved away his appeals. Les Parisiens were certainly looking stronger in the final third and could have bagged their second goal of the night when Désiré Doué forced a magnificent reactionary save from David Raya just before the half-hour mark.

As half-time neared in N5, Arsenal benefitted from a few chances of their own. The home faithful were left furious when Mikel Merino was felled inside the box, despite replays clearly showing that João Neves was first to the ball, and the Gunners could barely believe their misfortune when Gabriel Martinelli failed to meet Bukayo Saka’s teasing cross.

The Brazilian could have made amends almost instantly, but an excellent stop from Gianluigi Donnarumma denied the forward, who’d been sent through on goal by England youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Having missed out on a penalty earlier in the evening, Merino looked to have restored parity for the Gunners just minutes into the second half as he nodded home from a Declan Rice free-kick. A lengthy VAR check, however, denied the midfielder his goal for an offside offence.

PSG have Donnarumma to thank for preserving their slender advantage as a fine fingertip save denied Leandro Trossard’s attempt to pick out the bottom corner, but the French side will also be left ruing missed opportunities after a last-minute William Saliba challenge halted Achraf Hakimi’s marauding run towards goal and then an effort sent wide of the far post by Bradley Barcola.

Arsenal travel to Paris for the second leg, which gets underway at 20:00 BST [21:00 CEST] on Wednesday 7 May.

The lineups

ARS: Raya; Lewis-Skelly, Kiwior, Saliba, Timber; Merino, Rice, Ødegaard; Martinelli, Trossard, Saka

PSG: Donnarumma; Mendes, Pacho, Marquinhos, Hakimi; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé, Doué