In a match for the ages, Paris Saint-Germain edged out Bayern Munich 5-4 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, marking the first time both teams have scored four or more goals in a European semi-final. This nine-goal spectacle is now the joint-highest scoring semi-final in European Cup history.
The first half was a testament to the attacking prowess of both teams, with PSG leading 3-2 at the break courtesy of Ousmane Dembele's stoppage-time penalty. The second half saw Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Dembele extend PSG's lead to 5-2 before Bayern Munich staged a comeback, scoring two goals in three minutes through Dayot Upamecano and Luis Diaz to make it 5-4. The stage is set for a thrilling second leg, with the potential for this tie to become the highest-scoring in Champions League knockout history.
Dembele, the man of the match, anticipates another goal-filled encounter in Munich, saying, 'We're going to attack, and they're going to attack too. So, I think it's going to be a great second match.' The match began with Harry Kane scoring a 17th-minute penalty, his 59th goal of the season, only for Kvaratskhelia to equalize shortly after. Joao Neves then headed PSG into the lead, but Michael Olise's 41st-minute equalizer kept the scores level until Dembele's controversial penalty gave PSG the lead at halftime.
The second half was just as intense, with Kvaratskhelia and Dembele scoring within minutes of each other to put PSG 5-2 up. However, Bayern Munich refused to give up, with Upamecano and Diaz scoring to reduce the deficit to 5-4.
The comeback was marked by a VAR check that overturned an offside decision against Diaz's goal. The thrilling match has sparked debate among pundits, with Harry Kane praising the defending despite the high scoreline, while Wayne Rooney disagreed, stating the defending was 'really bad.' Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry offered a different perspective, highlighting the exceptional attacking play from both teams and the entertainment value of the match. As the football world waits for the second leg, one thing is certain - this Champions League tie will be remembered for years to come.