Soccer Football - Champions League - Paris St Germain v Girona - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - September 18, 2024 Paris St Germain's Bradley Barcola in action with Girona's Arnau Martinez REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
PARIS (Reuters) -An embarrassing late blunder gifted Paris St Germain a 1-0 home victory over Champions League debutants Girona on Wednesday as the visitors' goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga let a Nuno Mendes cross slip through his legs and into the net.
After relentless PSG pressure, Mendes’s low ball across the goal slipped through Gazzaniga’s grasp and into the net in stoppage time to earn the hosts victory.
The match was one-sided, with the French champions dominating in attack and registering 26 total attempts compared to Girona's three.
Girona's defence effectively neutralised PSG's attack in the first half, causing mounting frustration for the hosts as they struggled to break down their opponents.
PSG's Marco Asensio came close to breaking the deadlock in the first half with a low shot aimed at the bottom corner, narrowly missing the post.
Just before halftime, Asensio appeared to suffer an injury, prompting manager Luis Enrique to substitute him with Randal Kolo Muani.
Following the halftime break, PSG continued to apply pressure, with Ousmane Dembele making a clear run from the halfway line only for Ladislav Krejci to execute a last-ditch challenge that preserved the scoreline for Girona.
Dembele came close again shortly after the hour, breaking free from his marker to strike a shot towards the top corner, only for it to rebound off the woodwork.
Girona, who seemed content with a draw, began to waste time, drawing boos from the Parc des Princes crowd as PSG started a late offensive push.
Kolo Muani narrowly missed with a shot and, shortly after, Achraf Hakimi's close-range half-volley was saved by Gazzaniga's legs. However, the goalkeeper's late error ultimately decided the match.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in GdanskEditing by Toby Davis and Clare Fallon)
