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Arsenal vs PSG LIVE RESULT: Dembele’s stunning early strike gives Parisians the advantage in Champions League semi-final

PSG have beaten Arsenal 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Ousmane Dembele broke the deadlock after just four minutes with a stunning strike into the bottom right corner.

Gianluigi Donnarumma made a huge save to deny Gabriel Martinelli at the end of the first-half as the Parisians went into the interval a goal to the good.

After the break, Mikel Merino thought he had levelled the tie, but VAR ruled out the Spaniard's goal for a marginal offside.

Donnarumma was busy again just before the hour mark, getting down well to his right to prevent Leandro Trossard the equaliser.

With minutes to go at the Emirates, Goncalo Ramos raced through on goal and struck the bar as Arsenal managed to escape going two down in the tie.

The Gunners have it all to do in Paris next week as they look to progress to the Champions League final for the first time since 2006.

  • Match result: Arsenal 0-1 PSG

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  • Visitors win all key battles

    PSG came to the capital knowing that they needed to shutdown the supply of Arsenal's key players.

    They did just that with Martin Odegaard.

    The Norwegian struggled to get the ball in key areas where he could hurt Luis Enrique's side.

  • What happened to Bukayo?

    Bukayo Saka did not have the sort of impact he was hoping for last night against PSG.

    Nuno Mendes did a similar job on Mohamed Salah when they played Liverpool in the competition over two-legs.

    The Arsenal winger will need to work with his coaches to see how he can get one over the PSG defender when they travel to Paris.

    Bukayo Saka of Arsenal reacting after a foul call.
    Credit: Getty
  • Mikel Arteta forced to pull back fuming Arsenal set-piece coach

    Mikel Arteta had to restrain Arsenal set-piece coach Nicolas Jover after a corner routine went horribly wrong.

    The incident occurred at the end of their 1-0 defeat to PSG in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.

    With just a matter of seconds left on the clock, Declan Rice stood over a corner as the Gunners desperately scrambled for an equaliser.

    Set-piece mastermind Jover walked out to the edge of his technical area and began to gesture towards his players.

    Rice then whipped the ball in but a foul was given as Ben White nudged PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

    It made Jover furious and he angrily confronted the fourth official, seemingly annoyed at a foul being called.

  • Arteta drops second leg team hint

    Mikel Arteta has dropped a major hint over the second leg of Arsenal's Champions League semi-final against PSG.

    With Thomas Partey suspended and Jorginho injured for this tie, Arteta was forced to play Declan Rice as a No6 and bring Mikel Merino back into midfield as Leandro Trossard played up front.

    Merino up front had been working wonders for Arsenal with the Spaniard scoring six goals in nine games before the clash, and he did score from his first shot a set piece before he was ruled offside.

    And while none of the rotated stars played particularly poorly, Arsenal lacked a focal point threat up front.

    However, Arteta has already hinted that Partey will come straight back into the team for the second leg in Paris, saying: "I think Declan and Mikel were enormous.

    "[Partey] gives options and a different threat.

    "It gives us flexibility to change the game.

    "It's half-time and we have a big chance to be in the final."

    Credit: Rex
  • 'They ate us' - Saliba gives honest assessment of Arsenal failings

    William Saliba has said Arsenal were "eaten" by PSG early on in their Champions League semi-final encounter last night.

    Speaking to Canal+ after the game, Saliba said: "We're a bit disappointed to lose the first game, to concede a goal this early.

    "We should have done better. We suffered a lot in the first 20 minutes. They ate us. It's still 1-0. We'll need to show our character in the 2nd leg.

    “It’s not over. We hope to win there. We need to take the positive, we can’t give up. It’s the Champions League. A lot can happen. We’ll need to show our character."

  • French media give brutal assessment of Saka

    French media gave a scathing assessment of Bukayo Saka following his display against PSG.

    Maxi Foot gave the winger a 4/10 and said he was "wasteful" but added, "with his runs and his percussion, the England international brought life".

    Foot Mercato gave him a 6/10, saying he was Arsenal's "most dangerous attacker".

    Saka fared more generously in SunSport's ratings.

    See how SunSport's Jordan Davies rated the Gunners' performances last night by clicking below.

  • Arteta says Arsenal fixed early issues

    Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal fixed their early issues when PSG scored, although it ultimately was not enough to salvage a draw.

    He said: “I think the game had phases – the first 15 to 20 minutes especially, with them scoring so early and with great combination play, when the margins are so slim and the finishing is unbelievable.

    “We had especially one issue that we corrected after 15, 20 minutes and we sustained that for the rest of the game, which I think it turned the game around.”

  • Arteta with choices to make

    Arsenal entertain Bournemouth in North London this weekend.

    The reality is, with the league lost, the Spaniard will rest all of his big-hitters for the match.

    His focus will now be on the return leg in Paris next week.

  • Spaniard needing to show worth

    While you cannot deny the improvements under Mikel Arteta, the silverware has not been part of that journey.

    His abilities will be tested as a manager as he locks horns with Luis Enrique again in the second-leg.

    He needs to find a way to set his side up tactically to contain PSG's attacking threat, while finding a way to hurt them.

    This could be a real hero or zero moment for Mikel Arteta.

  • Mammoth tie awaits in Paris

    Arseal's season will all come down to a clash at the Parc des Princes against PSG next week.

    Their whole season rests upon it as their only chance of silverware.

    A goal down from the first-leg, they need to do the unthinkable and go and win in France.

    These are the moments that separate the best from the rest.

    Credit: Getty
  • Mikel always drawing positives

    When doing his media duties after games, Arteta will always talk about what his side did well and rue how things did not go their way.

    He did that this evening when talking about how Merino was millimetres offside for their disallowed goal.

    As we saw on the graphic, he was off by half a yard.

    It is all well and good protecting your players from criticism as all good managers should, but behind the scenes he needs to identify their failings.

    Arsenal dominate possession in games but show no penetration in the final third for large portions of games.

    They cannot afford to do that at the Parc des Princes if they want to make this season's final.

    Credit: Getty
  • Youngster struggles to deal with defender

    Bukayo Saka did not have the sort of impact he was hoping for this evening against PSG.

    Nuno Mendes did a similar job on Mohamed Salah when they played Liverpool in the competition over two-legs.

    The Arsenal winger will need to work with his coaches to see how he can one over the PSG defender when they travel to Paris.

    Credit: Getty
  • Spaniard has bragging rights in capital

    PSG boss Luis Enrique spoke about his side's win at The Emirates:

    Well, I think emotions are that high it is difficult to analyse. I think we show what kind of team we are and we score the first goal in the first two or three minutes. It is still going to be a very tough match in Paris. That is the work of goalkeepers is it not, that is what they are to do. We need to prepare for the second match, it is going to be difficult. We have a small advantage but we have to play like we did today.

    Luis EnriquePSG
  • Visitors win all key battles

    PSG came to the capital knowing that they needed to shutdown the supply of Arsenal's key players.

    They did just that with Martin Odegaard.

    The Norwegian struggled to get the ball in key areas where he could hurt Luis Enrique's side.

  • Boss gives view on performance

    Speaking with Amazon Prime after the game, Arteta gave his thought's on the defeat in North London:

    We are disappointed with the result. We put so much into the game. I think after the goal we got better and better and better. Credit to them, they got the goal and were clinical. Sometimes you have to recognise the talent of the opposition. Trossard was millimetres offside and these are the fine margins. It is half-time and we have a big chance to make the final.

    Mikel ArtetaArsenal
  • Gunners breaking unwanted records

    Tonight's defeat is Arsenal's first at home in this season's Champions League competition.

    However, the club have now gone six games without scoring a goal in a semi-final in this trophy.

    They will need to have a more attacking mindset when they travel to Paris and look to turn this tie around.

  • French champions get job done

    Speaking with Amazon Prime after the game, PSG's midfield dynamo gave his thoughts:

    It was a great night. Most for the group, it was a very good performance for the team. We controlled the games with the ball, today we defended well, we attacked well. It was a very strong performance from us. We have to continue like this, it is not over. We have to play a good game in Paris now. We could have scored more as well but we are happy with the one-nil.

    VitinhaPSG
  • Gunners disappointed in capital

    You could see from the reactions of the players that this was a bitter blow for Mikel Arteta's side.

    After all the jubilation of their home win against Real Madrid, this was the complete other end of the spectrum.

    Defeats tell you more about your squad than wins and it will be interesting to see how The Gunners bounce back.

    Credit: EPA
    Credit: PA
    Credit: EPA
  • Rice off the boil in deep role

    Arsenal certainly missed the driving runs of Declan Rice from box to box this evening against PSG.

    Without Thomas Partey, he had to play in a much deep role, sitting in front of the back four.

    It impacted on their whole game with Odegaard not having that person to link up with in the final third.

  • Fans fail to be the extra man

    Against Real Madrid, The Emirates was a cauldron of noise from start to finish, making for an intimidating atmosphere.

    That lasted all of four minutes today and resembled a North London library for far too much of the game.

    They will experience how the home fans can make a difference next week in Paris at the Parc des Princes.

    Credit: Getty
  • Tactics gives Gunners problems

    Give credit where it is due to Luis Enrique, he out-thought his opposite number this evening.

    Despite the pack-house at The Emirates, they immediately took them out of the equation, grabbing an early goal to silence North London.

    Aside from a few half-chances, PSG looked comfortable for the majority of this match.

    Credit: Getty
  • FT: Arsenal 0-1 PSG

    It was not the night the Arsenal fans were hoping for tonight.

    They have it all to do when they visit Paris next week.

    Arteta's side will certainly need to create more scoring opportunities.

  • View from SunSport's Charlie Wyett at The Emirates

    It is undoubtedly a disappointing night for Arsenal and PSG will be happy to take that one-goal lead back to the Parc des Princes next week.

    It will be interesting to hear what Mikel Arteta has to say about his team’s defending for Ousmane Dembele’s early goal.

    Although Mikel Merino had an effort disallowed for Arsenal it could have been worse as PSG subs Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos should both have scored near the end.

    It is not mission impossible for Arsenal in the second leg but nevertheless, they need to deliver something heroic.

  • FT: Arsenal 0-1 PSG

    The referee brings the game to an end.

    It is a slender win for PSG in North London.

    Disappointment for The Gunners.

  • Arsenal 0-1 PSG

    90+4. Rice steals the ball off the toe of Vitinha.

    He fouls the midfielder but the referee plays advantage.

    Nwaneri plays it into the path of Martinelli, who sends his shot into orbit.

    They have have to contact Elon Mush to get that one back.

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