On Wednesday night, Arsenal fought tooth and claw against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final. It was a closely contested battle that ultimately ended in a tense 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium. Each team put on an attacking clinic throughout the contest. That still can’t overshadow the fact that it was a night filled with heart-stopping drama, key saves, and a few dubious referee decisions.
Despite an amazing footballing atmosphere on the night, Arsenal came out tight and hesitant for the first 45. The Gunners had a hard time getting into their groove, giving Paris Saint-Germain the opportunity to take command from the get-go. In just the fourth minute of play, Ousmane Dembélé scored an impressive strike that gave the Parisians the lead. Suddenly, his goal sent a shock of fear across the home crowd.
Regardless of the early disappointment, Arsenal’s netminder David Raya became the star of the opening stanza. He saved Desire Doue with an amazing stop in the 24th minute. Diving to his right, he not only stopped the shot, but he kept Arsenal’s hopes alive. Raya’s performance would prove to be extremely crucial as the match continued on.
Even as Arsenal faced criticism for lack of attacking depth. Without key players like Ethan Nwaneri, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Raheem Sterling who remained on the bench, their offense was affected. Nevertheless, the Gunners continued to press forward. Just before half time Leandro Trossard almost found an equalizer. PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma produced an incredible save in the 41st minute to keep him out. Then in the 39th minute, Bukayo Saka finally broke the deadlock with a long-range scorcher. The PSG keeper came up big and brilliantly saved him.
Once the second half started, Arsenal woke up to an entirely different sense of urgency. It took just two minutes into the second half for Mikel Merino to equalize, ruthlessly inserting himself to convert a low cross and send the home supporters into jubilation. This would prove to be a pivotal moment for Arsenal, as they started to take control of the game much more efficiently.
It was a hard fought match that continued to go back and forth as both teams traded great chances. Her opener, a contorted left-footed strike, lit a fire under Arsenal’s midfield. Declan Rice powered through the middle and laid Trossard in for a good chance moments later in the 56th minute. PSG’s defense held firm.
Aside from when the action players went on to field, a number of controversial headlines emerged throughout the game. The referee Slavko Vincic faced criticism for some of his decisions, including a subjective offside call against Arsenal in the 49th minute. Commentators noted that “there’s a fine line between motivation and over-motivation,” suggesting that Arsenal may have been overly eager in their attempts to impress their home crowd.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Kvaratskhelia and Doue were largely silent during crucial stretches just before and just after the halftime intermission. Full back Joao Neves clattered into Merino with his arm right at the start of the second half and was shown a yellow card within a minute. This moment heightened the pressure on the field.