By David Awopetu
French Champions, Paris St-Germain, are through to their first ever Champions League final courtesy of a well deserved victory over German opposition, RB Leipzig, in an entertaining semi-final in Lisbon.
One of Europe’s biggest spenders, but also one of the continent’s most high-profile underachievers on the biggest stage, PSG, finally seized their opportunity through goals from Marquinhos, Angel di Maria and Juan Bernat.
Brazil defender, Marquinhos, who scored the first of two late goals in a comeback win over Atalanta in the last eight, rose to head home a superbly delivered free-kick from Di Maria.
The very impressive Argentine forward then finished well from close range following an audacious flick from Neymar after Leipzig goalkeeper, Peter Gulacsi, had relinquished possession with a dire kick.
With the fit again France forward, Kylian Mbappe, and Brazilian Neymar terrorising the Leipzig backline, the French side should have been out of sight before the break, but the latter twice hit the post – from a clipped finish and then an opportunist free-kick from range – before side-footing another chance wide at the near post.
Prior to PSG’s second, striker, Yussuf Poulsen, had Leipzig’s best chance but fired wide after he was found by a Dani Olmo pull-back.
France left back, Bernat, sealed the win in the second half with a contentious header that Leipzig felt was offside but was legitimate as the prone Nordi Mukiele, who had slipped in the build-up, was playing the scorer onside.
Thomas Tuchel’s PSG will find out who they face in Sunday’s final when five-time Champions League winners and German Champions, Bayern Munich, play French side, Olympique Lyon, in the other semi-final on Wednesday. I
