Defending champions PSG dominated current Premier League champions Liverpool at their home to earn a comfortable 2-0 win in the UEFA Champions League 2026 quarter-final, 1st leg match at Parc des Princes on Wednesday. It was goals from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia that gave the home side a big lead going into the second leg. Here is what happened in the PSG vs Liverpool, UEFA Champions League 2026, QF, 1st leg match.
Doue's lucky goal gave PSG the lead
Arne Slot opted for a tactical change, playing three center-backs and bringing Jeremie Frimpong and Alexis Mac Allister back into the starting lineup. While the Reds looked comfortable absorbing PSG’s early pressure, their hard work was undone by a cruel stroke of misfortune in the 11th minute.
A tackle from Ryan Gravenberch sent the ball into the path of Desire Doue as the forward cut inside and unleashed a shot that took a significant deflection off Virgil van Dijk, looping helplessly over Giorgi Mamardashvili to give PSG the lead.
Liverpool responded well, with Frimpong’s pace causing problems on the wings, but a missed timed shot from Dominik Szoboszlai prevented a quick equalizer.
It took a string of high-quality saves from Mamardashvili, including a brilliant one-on-one denial of Doue, to keep the scoreline at 1-0 heading into the half-time break.
Kvaratskhelia doubled the lead for PSG
The second half saw PSG keeping their attacking rhythm.
After Ousmane Dembele missed a clear chance from a Nuno Mendes cross, the hosts finally found their second goal in the 65th minute.
Joao Neves sliced through the Liverpool defense with a piercing pass, allowing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to round Mamardashvili and calmly slot into the empty net to make it 2-0.
Liverpool’s night almost went from bad to worse when the referee awarded PSG a penalty for an Ibrahima Konate foul on Neves, but the decision was overturned following a VAR review.
In the final few minutes, Slot made a quadruple substitution, introducing Isak, Gakpo, Robertson, and Jones.
While Hugo Ekitike went close of putting one back for Liverpool following a driving run by Florian Wirtz, it was PSG who finished stronger.
Dembele rattled the post in the dying minutes, narrowly missing a third which could have make the second leg a no contest.