Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 in a thrilling Champions League semi-final first leg, despite squandering a three-goal lead. The return leg in Germany promises to be equally exciting.
Paris Saint-Germain's Fabian Ruiz (L) and Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich at Parc des Princes. Federico Gambarini/dpa
Title holders Paris Saint-Germain squandered a three-goal lead but held on to beat Bayern Munich 5-4 in a Champions League semi-final first leg match for the ages on Tuesday night and all to play for in the return leg in Germany next week.
Bayern led from a Harry Kane penalty in the 17th but PSG turned matters around from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the 24th and João Neves in the 33rd and were 3-2 up after a breathless first half from Ousmane Dembélé's stoppage time spot kick after Michael Olise had levelled for the visitors in the 41st.
The goalfest at Parc des Princes between the arguably two best sides of the competition continued after the break when Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé got a quickfire double for 5-2 in the 56th and 58th.
But Bayern, without their coach Vincent Kompany on the touchline due to suspension, were far from beaten and back within one from in the 65th and Luis DĂaz three minutes later.
The final score was Paris Saint-Germain 5, Bayern Munich 4.
Harry Kane scored the opening goal for Bayern Munich with a penalty in the 17th minute.
PSG turned the match around with goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and JoĂŁo Neves, taking a 3-2 lead by halftime.
With a close scoreline of 5-4, the return leg in Germany will be crucial, as both teams have a strong chance to advance.
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Record breaking nine goals
That made it the highest-scoring semi-final in the Champions League era and the joint highest in overall competition history, along with Eintracht Frankfurt's 6-3 victory at Rangers in the 1960 semis.
PSG ended a run of five straight defeats against Bayern in the elite event, including a 2-1 home defeat in this season's league stage, but there is no real favourite to pick ahead of next week Wednesday's return leg who will go to the May 30 final in Budapest.
The other first leg semi is on Wednesday between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal.
All to play for, Enrique says
âIâve never seen a game with that rhythm before. You have to congratulate the opponents, the players," PSG coach Luis Enrique told Canal+.
"When you hold a 5-2 lead like that, the opponents take so many risks â theyâre a top-level side. It was difficult, and the second leg will be too. You have to enjoy it, and you have to recognise this is just the third game theyâve lost all season."
Nothing to lose for Bayern
Kane told Prime Video: "I think we saw two high-level teams out there today, especially in the attacking play and in the transitions, the speed, the intensity. Two of the top teams going toe-to-toe.
"We fought and we clawed and we're back in the tie," he added. "We go to the Allianz with nothing to lose, we're at our best when we're intense and physical."
Epic from the start
The duel between the two highest scoring teams in the competition - PSG now have 43 goals from 15 games and Bayern 42 from 13 - lived up to all the hype from the kick-off.
Bayern enjoyed a little more of early possession and took the lead in the 17th when Willian Pancho clipped Diaz on a Bayern counter attack.
Kane made no mistake from the spot when he sent Matvey Safonov the wrong way and netted into the bottom right corner for his 13th goal of the competition.
It should have been 2-0 three minutes later for but Olise failed to beat Safonov one on one after being set up superbly by Kane.
PSG hit back
Instead PSG came to life with DembĂ©lĂ© missing a big chance after Aleksandar PavloviÄ gave away the ball.
The equalizer came a minute later in the 24th when DĂ©sirĂ© DouĂ© found Kvaratskhelia on the left who beat Josip StaniĆĄiÄ and curled into the far corner for 1-1.
Olise almost restored Bayern's lead when he clipped the post but it was PSG to score again and complete the turnaround when Neves headed home Dembélé's corner kick in the 33rd.
Dembélé was denied another chance by a last-ditch intervention from Upamecano but now it was time for Bayern to hit back as they restored parity at 2-2 in the 41st from Olise who smashed high into the net after beating three PSG players.
Three PSG goals but Bayern fight back
But PSG had the last laugh in a breathless first half when Alphonso Davies was ruled upon review to have handled the ball and Dembélé scored into the bottom right corner on the ensuing penalty with Manuel Neuer beaten although he guessed the right corner.
Davies did not return after the break and his replacement Konrad Laimer aimed wide left before PSG seemingly ran away with the match when Kvaratskhelia converted Achram Hakimi's cross in the 56th and Dembélé completed his brace as well two minutes later.
That seemed to have clinched matters for a statement victory but Bayern would have none of it and kept the tie alive.
Upamecano's glacing header off Joshua Kimmich's free-kick in the 65th and DĂaz superb shot off Kane three minutes cut the deficit to one, DĂaz' goal standing upon review after the offside flag initially went up.
Each side had one more chance, with PSG substitute Senny Mayulu hitting the crossbar in the 87th and Pacho denying Bayern a stoppage-time equalizer by clearing Kimmich's header in front of the goalline.
Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi (R) and Bayern Munich's Konrad Laimer battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich at Parc des Princes. Federico Gambarini/dpa
Bayern Munich Dayot Upamecano (L) celebrates scoring his side's third goal with team-mate Joshua Kimmich during the UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich at Parc des Princes. Federico Gambarini/dpa