Liverpool were outplayed by Paris Saint-Germain but stole a 1-0 Champions League win on the road thanks to an inspirational performance from goalkeeper Alisson Becker, and a series of poor misses by the hosts.
The Reds will be favourites to advance to the quarterfinals in next week’s second leg after a late goal from Harvey Elliott, with his first touch after replacing an anonymous Mo Salah, gave them the edge.
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It was hardly deserved, but continued Liverpool’s blessed run in domestic and European competition, and was another feather in the cap for manager Arne Slot, whose late changes changed the contest.
Three other former champions won their first legs on Thursday (AEDT) with Barcelona earning a 1-0 win at Benfica despite being a man down for most of the game, Bayern Munich blowing away 10-man Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 and Inter Milan taking a 2-0 lead away from Feyenoord.
PSG thought they’d scored in the first half only for the thrilling winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to be caught marginally offside before curling his shot beyond Becker. It was the only time he’d be beaten with nine saves, several of them out of this world.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker makes a save during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, first leg match at the Parc des Princes in Paris, France. (Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)
Bradley Barcola and Joao Neves missed clear cut chances for the hosts while Ousmane Demeble blew a one-on-one in the second period.
In all, PSG had 70 percent possession and 27 shots to two – 10 on target to the one from Elliott that turned the tie to the Reds after Darwin Nunez won a header then rolled the ball perfectly into his teammate’s path.
“All the plaudits will go to Harvey Elliott, but it is all about Darwin Nunez,” said former Liverpool player Stephen Warnock on the BBC.
“Nunez wins the first initial ball and so often he makes the wrong decision, but he pushes it nicely into the path of Elliott. A smash and grab.”
Liverpool had Alisson to thank for being in the position to snatch the win.
“It was probably the performance of my life,” the Brazilian said. “The manager was telling us how hard it would be to play against PSG, how good they are with the ball and that we would have to be ready to suffer. We knew what was coming.
“We worked hard. We gave away so many chances, sometimes one v one but the biggest part of the chase is having someone make the player with the chance think a bit more.
“All the efforts the team put in makes my job easier. Then at the end Harvey [Elliott] coming in and scoring the goal, it is a great story for us. A great night.”
Elliott said of his keeper: “This guy, he’s unbelievable. The best in the world. Each and every game, he shows it. Keeps us in so many games. And tonight, it’s my opportunity to repay this man. Without him, I don’t know where we’d be.”
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