The first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals excites football fans all four teams put on an exciting spectacle on the pitch. PSG managed to edge Arsenal in London with a 1-0 win, while Inter Milan held Barcelona in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
PSG Took a Slender Lead to Paris
The Ligue 1 champions pick up an important result on their first leg tie as they beat the Gunners 1-0 through Ousmane Dembele’s early strike. PSG only needed four minutes to get in front when Dembele finished off a fine assist from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
That goal forced Arsenal to push hard in search of an equalising goal, but they were not having an easy task in breaking down their opponent. PSG’s ability to control possession and slice through the opponent’s defense put the home team under a lot of difficulty.
Moreover, every time the Gunners did manage to breach the French side’s backline, Gianluigi Donnarumma came to the away team’s rescue. In the end, Arsenal might consider themselves lucky to only go down with a goal deficit, as PSG had a couple of clear-cut chances which they failed to convert into goals.
Despite the 1-0 aggregate lead and playing at home in the second leg, the French side will still face a tough task. PSG must maintain their focus and quality in front of their home crowd if they want to advance into the final stage.
Barca Shockingly Held by Inter at Camp Nou
The Blaugrana were strong favourites to take down their opponent, especially in the first leg, as they are playing at home. Moreover, Inter have been in a slump recently, losing three consecutive matches against Bologna, Milan, and Roma.
However, the Nerazzurri’s quick goal after just one minute of play through Marcus Thuram’s flick simply changed the course of that tie. That early strike put Inter in an advantageous situation as they could play their preferred direct-counter attacking game, while Barca went all out in search of the equalizer.
Inter’s counter-attacking tactic seems to be working to perfection as they managed to double their lead in the 21st minute through Denzel Dumfries’ close-range shot. Fortunately for Barca, they were able to pull one goal back immediately as Lamine Yamal dazzled through the Nerazzurri’s defense before curling a lovely strike to make it 2-1.
Hansi Flick’s team finally got back on level terms when Ferran Torres finished off Raphinha’s assist on 38 minute. Going into the break with a 2-2 scoreline didn’t break down Inter’s heart as they managed to take the lead again on 63 minutes with another goal from Dumfries.
Barca responded quickly, as two minutes later, it was 3-3 after Raphinha’s fantastic shot was deflected into his own net by Yann Sommer. Despite both sides’ attacking attempts, especially the home team, they had to settle for a draw.
It’s all to play for indeed for the next game in Milano as Inter will try to take advantage of their fans’ support to take down Barcelona. However, without the away goal advantage, the Blaugrana can come to San Siro stadium with a strong belief as well.
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