A massive mistake handed Paris Saint-Germain a hard-fought victory in their first Champions League clash of the post-galactico era. PSG clinched a narrow 1-0 victory against tournament debutants Girona on Wednesday, thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time goal. The decisive moment unfolded when goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga failed to handle a left-wing cross from Nuno Mendes, allowing the ball to slip under his hands and through his legs.
Gazzaniga’s Error Gives PSG Late Win
On Wednesday, 18 September, Paris Saint-Germain kicked off their UEFA Champions League journey with a home match against Girona at the iconic Parc des Princes. PSG came into the game with a strong domestic record of four wins from four games. While, Girona was having trouble in La Liga, winning just two of their first five games.
Under the guidance of Luis Enrique, PSG’s lineup included Safonov in goal, supported by a robust defensive unit. The attack was the trio of Dembele, Asensio, and Barcola. The opening half saw PSG have a possession rate of 73%. However, they found it challenging to convert this dominance into significant scoring opportunities, ending the half in a stalemate at 0-0. The second half was marked by a series of missed chances, particularly from Dembele. In the 89th minute, Nuno Mendes finally found the back of the net capitalizing on a blunder from Girona’s goalkeeper. PSG sealed a slim 1-0 win, but their display on the pitch raised several eyebrows.
PSG’s Post-Galactico Era Begins With Narrow Win
PSG kicked off their Champions League journey for the first time in over ten years without the presence of a star player, whom many would refer to as a “galactico.” In the past, stars like Lionel Messi, Neymar, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, and Kylian Mbappé have played for PSG in the Champions League. However, the Parisians kicked off this season with a fresh identity. There is now a stronger presence of French talent in the team and a focus on enhanced teamwork.
With Mbappé scoring for Real Madrid on Tuesday, it was the first Champions League match for PSG without the French star in seven years. Mbappé faced criticism from pundits for his lack of defensive effort and failure to track back during his time at PSG. However, PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique was visibly frustrated, vocally expressing his discontent as some of his attackers failed to track back. There was even a time Girona had possession of the ball for an impressive 2 and a half minutes.
What Next For PSG
PSG is set to face Reims in an away clash in Ligue 1 this Saturday. While Girona will prepare for a La Liga showdown against Valencia who have been poor this season.
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