Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League defence remains on course after a dominant 2-0 victory against Liverpool in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.
The home side took the lead thanks to a deflected effort in the 11th minute on Wednesday, when Desire Doue’s effort from outside the box looped over the helpless Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The Reds are long out of their own title defence in the English Premier League this season and left only with the Champions League as a faint hope of silverware. Still, Arne Slot’s side rallied in response to the Parisians’ fortune until the half-time whistle.
The second period was a far different matter, and all too familiar to Liverpool fans this season. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia deservedly doubled the advantage in the 65th minute when the Georgian international dribbled into the box before rounding the keeper.
A total of 18 shots were registered by the home side, with six on target. Liverpool managed just three efforts on goal with none on target in reply.
“We should be grateful we only lost 2-0; they had so many chances. It is great for us to still be in the tie,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said.
“They had the ball a lot, and an incredible tempo all over the place. We pressed, but they were able to play through us.”
The Reds, thrashed 4-0 by Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals at the weekend, set up cautiously, with three centre backs and Mohamed Salah on the bench, but struggled to contain a PSG side that mixed patient possession with bursts of attacking intensity.
It was far from the most fluent start by Luis Enrique’s side in the French capital, despite relentless passing and a 74 percent share of the possession throughout. But their second-half showing was a vast improvement from the first.
Achraf Hakimi’s 82nd-minute drive was one of the biggest moments to settle the tie, but drew a fine save from Mamardashvili, low to his left, which keeps his side in with a chance as the teams head to Anfield for the second leg next Tuesday.
There was little the Reds’ keeper could do other than hope as Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele produced a moment of brilliance with two minutes to play when he exchanged a one-two with substitute Lee Kang-In in the box only to see his fierce strike rebound off the post.
“I’m not happy with losing, but we have another game next week,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told TNT Sports.
“We had some chances to counter, but didn’t do it too well. Hopefully we can be a lot better – especially in possession – at Anfield next week.
“We have to produce a special performance next week. You see the quality they have and how good they can be. We have to be absolutely spot on in everything we do.”
It was Liverpool’s fourth consecutive defeat away from home, a first for the Merseyside club since April 2012.
The winner will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the next round, with the latter holding a 2-1 advantage following the first leg of their quarterfinal in the Spanish capital on Tuesday.
DW Deutsch 
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