Elliott’s Late Strike Lifts Liverpool, Bayern, Inter, And Barcelona Secure First-Leg Wins In Champions League

By: Gyang Dakwo

Harvey Elliott emerged as Liverpool’s unlikely hero, scoring just seconds after coming off the bench to secure a dramatic 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old replaced Mohamed Salah in the 86th minute and netted with his first touch, sweeping a low shot into the corner to stun the Parc des Princes crowd.

Liverpool, despite being outplayed for much of the match, relied on a heroic performance from goalkeeper Alisson, who made a string of stunning saves to deny PSG’s relentless attacks. The Brazilian thwarted efforts from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé, and Désiré Doué, while a first-half goal from Kvaratskhelia was ruled out for offside by VAR.

PSG coach Luis Enrique lamented his team’s missed chances, saying, “We deserved to win, clearly. Football is unfair sometimes, but we are ready for Liverpool.” The defeat ended PSG’s 23-game unbeaten run across all competitions.

In other Champions League action, Bayern Munich took a commanding 3-0 lead over Bayer Leverkusen, with Harry Kane ending his four-game goal drought with a brace. Jamal Musiala also capitalized on a goalkeeping error to seal the win, while Leverkusen’s Nordi Mukiele was sent off in the 62nd minute.

Barcelona, despite playing with 10 men after Pau Cubarsí’s red card, edged Benfica 1-0 thanks to Raphinha’s second-half winner. The Brazilian intercepted a loose pass and fired a left-footed shot into the far corner, repeating his heroics from their previous encounter.

Inter Milan secured a 2-0 away win at Feyenoord, with Lautaro Martínez becoming the club’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League. His 18th goal in the competition, a stunning strike into the top corner, doubled Inter’s lead after Marcus Thuram’s opener.

Liverpool now head into the second leg at Anfield with a narrow advantage, while PSG face an uphill battle to keep their Champions League dreams alive. Bayern, Barcelona, and Inter also take strong positions into their respective return fixtures.