PSG 5-4 Bayern Munich: Breathless Goal Fest in Champions League Semi-Final
PSG defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 in a stunning Champions League semi-final first leg, with nine goals and non-stop action. Thierry Henry called it "pure cinema," and players from both sides hailed it as a dream match. The second leg will be played in Munich.
The match featured five goals in the first half, four more in the second, and constant breathless action, hailed as the greatest Champions League semi-final of all time.
Even before it kicked off, the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich on Tuesday was expected to produce goals, but experts and fans were still stunned by the quality of football surrounding the nine strikes.
Football legend Thierry Henry called the match, which ended 5-4 for PSG, "pure cinema" in his post-match analysis on CBS Sports.
"Rest in peace to anyone who missed this game," the former French star said. "This is football at its absolute peak. Pure cinema. From start to finish, non-stop, no room to breathe… you blink and you miss something."
After just 17 minutes, in-form striker Harry Kane opened the scoring for Bayern Munich from the penalty spot, but the hosts equalized seven minutes later thanks to a one-on-one dribble by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia against Josip Stanisic. The Bayern right-back stood still as Kvaratskhelia unleashed a curving shot into the far right post of the visitors' goal.
The thrilling action did not stop, with both teams constantly pushing forward in search of goals, Joao Neves heading in from a corner in the 33rd minute to delight the home fans.
Bayern's second goal, leveling the score eight minutes later, was another highlight as Michael Olise made amends for a previous miss, breaking through the PSG defense and slotting home.
Henry, regarded as a football legend, described Olise as a "special" player. "You see Nuno Mendes [PSG left-back], who has locked down wingers all season, suddenly struggling with Michael Olise… He is special," the former Arsenal star said.
"On the other side, Luis Diaz never stopped running… I don't think [Achraf] Hakimi had a single breath. Then Kvara [Kvaratskhelia]… everything he touched looked dangerous. [Ousmane] Dembele played freely, doing whatever he wanted… it was crazy. And in midfield, Vitinha controlled everything like his own playground."
The first half had one more goal, when Ballon d'Or winner Dembele scored from the penalty spot to put his team ahead.
The first-half action alone was enough to convince Bastian Schweinsteiger that he was witnessing "the best Champions League game in years." The long-time Bayern player posted a selfie in his German club shirt while waiting for the second half.
'This game had everything'
Eleven minutes into the second half, Kvaratskhelia struck again when the Georgian forward broke through in front of goal from a Hakimi pass and slotted home.
PSG extended their lead through Dembele two minutes later, as he beat two Bayern defenders to slot the ball past Manuel Neuer. The former Manchester United defender said the match was a perfect display of one-on-one football, with four wingers making life difficult for the opposing defenders.
The visitors pulled two goals back, first Dayot Upamecano heading in from a free kick in the 65th minute, and Luis Diaz in the 68th, when the Colombian midfielder latched onto a perfect long pass from Kane to finish from close range.
Although the final 25 minutes produced no further goals, both teams pressed close to goal and captivated those lucky enough to watch live.
"This game had everything," Henry said as the match ended. "Honestly… this should have been the Champions League final. Because right now, these are the most exciting teams in Europe."
'We dream about matches like this'
Players and coaches from both sides echoed Henry, with man of the match Dembele calling it "an incredible game." "Two big teams both attacked, never doubting themselves – this is the Champions League semi-final, we knew Bayern are a big team, and so are we," he said after the match.
PSG head coach Luis Enrique was exhausted just watching from the sidelines. "I am very tired, and I didn't run even one kilometer," he said. "So I don't know how the players feel."
French club defender Marquinhos told Canal+ that he was "living a dream" in this thrilling match. "All football lovers, I'm sure they enjoyed watching the game," he said. "On the pitch, it was a real joy to play this match. We dream about matches like this all year, throughout childhood… These are two teams that never give up, always push forward, always move ahead."
For Bayern's top scorer this season, Harry Kane, it was a clash between two top teams. "You saw two high-level teams in attacking play and transitions," Kane told Prime. "We fought and we came back into the race… We go to the Allianz with nothing to lose; we play best when full of intensity and physicality. Next week, whoever takes their chances will decide it, and with the crowd behind us, we hope that carries us through."
The second leg of the semi-final will take place in Munich on Wednesday, with the team leading on aggregate after 90 minutes advancing to the final on May 30 in Hungary.
