PSG vs Aston Villa LIVE: Hosts take two-goal cushion into second leg after fine victory in Paris
PSG 3-1 Aston Villa: The French champions have a strong lead after winning the first leg
Aston Villa will need to overturn a two goal deficit in the Champions League quarter-finals after being beaten 3-1 by PSG in the first leg of their tie.
Villa took the lead against the run of play at the Parc des Princes. With PSG on top, John McGinn took control of the ball and kicked off a counter-attack. Morgan Rogers finished off the move with a tap in at the back post and the good vibes ended there for Unai Emery’s men.
Desire Doue was the instigator of PSG’s comeback. He cut in from the left and fizzed a shot into the far top corner before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sent the hosts ahead in the second half with an equally superb strike.
Villa seemed content to take a loss back to the Midlands but Nuno Mendes made the task incredibly difficult in stoppage time with a dainty and professional finish to sit down Emi Martinez and give the French champions a third goal.
Relive the Champions League action with our live blog below:
'A big 20 minutes'
“A big 20 minutes or so.
“In many respects, 2-1 isn't a great scoreline for PSG, given their dominance.
“Villa can't afford it to get to 4-1. And yet overturning any deficit will be hard, given the quality of this PSG side, and remembering they won at Anfield.
“Emery is making changes, though whether that counts as sticking or twisting, Villa probably just need fresh legs, given the amount of running they have had to do.”
PSG 2-1 Aston Villa
74 mins: A half-hearted attempt from Morgan Rogers forces a low save out of Donnarumma.
Desire Doue and Fabian Ruiz are off with Warren Zaire-Emery and Bradley Barcola brought on for the hosts.
PSG 2-1 Aston Villa
71 mins: Disallowed!
Achraf Hakimi is fed the ball on the right side of the pitch.
He takes it into the box and shoots, beating Martinez despite the goalkeeper getting a touch to the ball.
The celebrations are cut short by the offside flag though.
PSG 2-1 Aston Villa
69 mins: Villa are trying to get themselves back into the match.
Rogers comes down the right wing and lifts a cross into the far side of the box.
There’s no one around and the attack comes to nothing.
PSG 2-1 Aston Villa
66 mins: Villa have, at times, six players in the back line trying to limit the space PSG have on the wings.
Doue takes in Disasi but Rogers it back to help out this time and together they force him to retreat.
PSG 2-1 Aston Villa
63 mins: PSG are well on top now.
A corner is whipped into the box, hits a back or a shoulder of, I think a Villa defender, then loops into the hands of Emi Martinez.
PSG 2-1 Aston Villa
60 mins: Jacob Ramsey is hooked off for Aston Villa with Marco Asensio brought on.
Asensio is in fine form and a goal from him against his parent club would be very handy for Villa.
PSG 2-1 Aston Villa
57 mins: Save!
Wonderful from PSG. Fabian Ruiz is played into space on the left side of the pitch.
He gets up to the box and pulls it back to Achraf Hakimi who shoots and forces a low stop out of Emi Martinez!
'Kvaratskhelia has been terrific'
“Kvaratskhelia has been terrific in the second half.
“He wasn't bad in the first, either, but his duel with Axel Disasi looks distinctly one-sided.
“Disasi is a Parisian back in Paris but getting turned inside out by the Georgian for his goal probably wasn't the homecoming he had in mind.”
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