Harvey Elliott stole the spotlight as he came off the bench to net a last-minute winner for Liverpool against a dominant Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a thrilling UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg on Wednesday.
Elliott’s decisive goal came just 47 seconds after he stepped onto the pitch, capitalizing on a smart layoff from fellow substitute Darwin Nunez in the 87th minute. Despite being outplayed for most of the match, Liverpool snatched a 1-0 victory in Paris.
Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson was instrumental in keeping the Reds in the game, making a series of magnificent saves against PSG’s relentless attack. Amazingly, Elliott’s goal was Liverpool’s first shot on target and only their second attempt, compared to PSG’s 28.
“To leave here with a win was probably more than we deserved,” admitted Liverpool manager Arne Slot. “But sometimes football is about seizing the moment, and we did that tonight.”
PSG, who had been unbeaten in their last 20 games with 18 wins and two draws, were left frustrated. “We had plenty of chances; we just couldn’t score,” said midfielder Vitinha. “We’re going to show our character and win at Anfield next week.”
The aggregate winner will face either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Kane Shines as Bayern Outclass Leverkusen 3-0
In another exciting clash, Bayern Munich’s striker Harry Kane scored twice to lead his team to a commanding 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in their all-German round of 16 encounter.
The win marks Bayern’s first victory over Leverkusen in seven meetings and gives them a significant advantage ahead of the return leg at Leverkusen next week.
Bayern’s coach Vincent Kompany praised his team’s performance: “We did a lot of things right today. It’s only the first half, but we need to deliver the same performance next week.”
Kane’s first goal came in the ninth minute with a powerful header, marking his 30th goal across all competitions and ending his four-game scoring drought. He sealed the win with a well-taken penalty in the 75th minute, bringing his tally to 31 goals.
Leverkusen’s night worsened when Nordi Mukiele was sent off after receiving a second yellow card, adding to their defensive woes.
Other Results
Inter Milan secured a 2-0 win over Feyenoord, while Barcelona edged past Benfica with a 1-0 victory in the other matches of the day.
