Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was lethargic.
PSG won 1-0 over Girona in the first leg of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League Stage at Parc des Princes in Paris, France on the 19th (Korea time). After struggling against an opponent one level below the objective power, Nuno Mendes scored the winning goal in the 45th minute of the second half to win the game. 안전놀이터
Luis Enrique’s starting lineup failed completely. The two wingers, Usman Dembele and Bradley Barcola, were helpless. Dembele caused a crisis by himself as he lost the ball while overplaying. In the second half, he couldn’t even shoot with the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation, and dedicated the ball to the defender. His shot that he attempted at the last minute of the second half was missed, sending the ball to the sky. Despite this, Dembele played almost full time. He was only replaced during extra time in the second half. Barcola did not have a meaningful scene at all. The midfielders, which consisted of Vitinha, Fabian Lewis, and Warren Zaire Emery, only attempted stable passes. PSG recorded “0” shots on goal in the first half.
Rather, Girona bullied PSG through strong pressure and tight defense. PSG played a boring game at home.
Enrique finally used three replacement cards at the 18th minute of the second half. He deployed Lee Kang-in, João Neves and Desiree Doue, and brought Barcola, Vitinha and Luis to the bench.
Although it was a bit of a late choice, PSG led the game after the replacement and sought opportunities. However, it rarely produced a scene that was close to scoring.
In the 33rd minute of the second half, he got a decisive free kick from the left side of the penalty box. It was the position of a typical left-footed kicker. However, Ashraf Hakimi, a right-footed kicker, stepped up as a kicker. Hakimi’s shot went wide above the net. Lee Kang-in, who was standing next to him, had no choice but to feel disappointed. It would have been better if Lee Kang-in, who was in good kicking condition recently, had kicked it.
While overall performance was poor, the opponent’s goalkeeper Paulo Gasaniga’s fatal mistake came out in the 45th minute of the second half. Mendes, who dug into the left side of the penalty box, hit a ground ball cross, and the ball just flowed through Gasaniga’s legs. It was a fatal mistake that was almost an own goal.
PSG won the first game by winning after a long period of time. Although it won, it was a game with a lot of assignments left.
