PSG beat Liverpool as Champions League defence maintains pace

UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain claim 2-0 first-leg lead over English Premier League champions Liverpool.Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League defence remains on course after a dominant 2-0 victory against Liverpool in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.The home side took the lead thanks to a deflected effort in the 11th minute on Wednesday, when Desire Doue’s effort from outside the box looped over the helpless Giorgi Mamardashvili.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘Fearless’ teen sensation Sooryavanshi aces Bumrah test in IPL blitzlist 2 of 4China probes ‘malicious’ cyberbullying of teen diving champion Quanlist 3 of 4World Athletics postpones Doha Diamond League due to player safety concernslist 4 of 4Australian and IPL cricket great David Warner charged with drink-drivingend of listThe Reds are long out of their own title defence in the English Premier League this season and left only with the Champions League as a faint hope of silverware. Still, Arne Slot’s side rallied in response to the Parisians’ fortune until the half-time whistle.The second period was a far different matter, and all too familiar to Liverpool fans this season. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia deservedly doubled the advantage in the 65th minute when the Georgian international dribbled into the box before rounding the keeper.A total of 18 shots were registered by the home side, with six on target. Liverpool managed just three efforts on goal with none on target in reply.“We should be grateful we only lost 2-0; they had so many chances. It is great for us to still be in the tie,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said.“They had the ball a lot, and an incredible tempo all over the place. We pressed, but they were able to play through us.”The Reds, thrashed 4-0 by ⁠Manchester City in the ⁠FA Cup quarterfinals at the weekend, set up cautiously, with three centre backs and Mohamed ‌Salah on the bench, but struggled to contain a PSG side that ‌mixed ‌patient possession with bursts of attacking intensity.