Dembélé delivers knockout blow as PSG end Liverpool’s European dream

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The damage done in Paris proved irretrievable.Ousmane Dembélé, so wasteful in the first leg at Parc des Princes, put the quarter-final beyond any doubt with a clinical late finish to ensure there would be no famous European comeback from Liverpool on this occasion. Liverpool’s pressing game was also far more effective, resulting in numerous loose passes in the PSG midfield, while Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes were unable to raid from full-back as effectively as they did in the first leg.For all of the encouragement that Anfield took from their team’s energetic start, the visitors should still have taken the lead and strengthened their hold on the quarter-final when catching Liverpool cold with a quick throw-in.

It was another terrible miss by the player who was chiefly responsible for keeping Liverpool alive in the first leg.Dembélé had also tested Giorgi Mamardashvili with an enterprising chip after the goalkeeper had rushed off his line to beat Warren Zaïre-Emery to a through ball. Mamardashvili was able to back-track and punch clear.Liverpool were badly disrupted when Ekitiké was taken off on a stretcher on the half hour after his ankle appeared to give way as he attempted to chase a pass from Wirtz.

Ryan Gravenberch began to wrestle control of midfield away from PSG with his surging runs from deep.Gakpo tested Safonov from distance, Gomez headed over from the resulting corner, Gravenberch went close and Kerkez volleyed wide of the far post when picked out by a delightful Salah pass.Liverpool were given a lifeline when the referee, Maurizio Mariani, awarded them a penalty for a foul by Willian Pacho on Alexis Mac Allister. Liverpool’s hope was extinguished when the PSG substitute Barcola broke down the left and found Kvaratskhelia.