Goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga’s late blunder handed Paris Saint-Germain a 1-0 victory over Girona in their Champions League group-stage clash on Wednesday night.
In a tense encounter at the Parc des Princes, Portuguese left-back Nuno Mendes unleashed a low shot from a tight angle that should have been a routine save.
However, Gazzaniga mishandled the effort, allowing the ball to slip through his hands and into the net. This decisive mistake came just as it seemed Girona would leave Paris with a hard-earned draw.
Girona, making their Champions League debut after finishing third in La Liga last season, put on a resilient defensive performance, effectively nullifying PSG’s 26 attempts on goal. PSG, with their star-studded lineup, struggled to break down the determined visitors.
France forward Ousmane Dembélé came close to scoring, curling a shot onto the crossbar and later having the ball snatched away by a perfectly timed tackle from Ladislav Krejci.
The Spanish side, backed by their vocal travelling supporters, focused on a compact, defensive strategy, allowing them to withstand PSG’s waves of attacks. Despite effective passing and ball retention, Girona offered little offensive threat of their own.
Luis Enrique’s PSG appeared to be running out of ideas to beat Gazzaniga’s prowess until the late howler decided the contest. This result sees PSG take three crucial points, while Girona will look to bounce back in their next league phase match, hosting Feyenoord on Wednesday, October 2. Meanwhile, PSG will travel to face Arsenal on October 1.
