Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

Mar 5, 2025, 06:25 PM ET

PARIS -- Liverpool have put themselves in the driver's seat to secure qualification for quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League after substitute Harvey Elliott scored late on to seal a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot warned ahead of the match that his team must be prepared to "suffer" against the French champions and that certainly proved to be the case as the Premier League leaders were outclassed for much of the match at the Parc des Princes.

PSG's January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia thought he had given the hosts the lead with a sublime curling finish in the first half, but his effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR check.



Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola also had chances to put Luis Enrique's side in front, but Alisson Becker turned in an heroic performance in the Liverpool goal to keep the scores level.

That opened the door for Elliott -- on for the surprisingly lacklustre Mohamed Salah five minutes from time -- to slot home past Gianluigi Donnarumma to win it in the 87th minute.

But it is this victory, against a formidable PSG team at a ferocious Parc des Princes, that might just turn out to be their best win of the campaign.

Not in terms of performance; make no mistake, Liverpool were outplayed and outclassed for most of Wednesday night's contest.

PSG learnt that the hard way on Wednesday night in Paris, where they outplayed Liverpool in a way that no other team has done this season.

PSG.

Alisson is still one of the world's best

Dembélé, along with everyone else in the stadium, was just waiting for the net to bulge when out came the leg of Alisson to smother his goal-bound shot.

The Brazil international's 30th-minute save was just one of a number of excellent stops he made at the Parc des Princes to keep Liverpool not just in the game, but in the tie against a sparkling PSG.

Rarely under Slot have Liverpool been so under siege as Dembélé, Barcola and Kvaratskhelia took it in turns to torment their visitors' creaking defence.

Désiré Doué was the other option, but Luis Enrique went for the Georgian for his experience, for his one-on-one qualities, and he justified his manager's pick.

"Kvaradona" was unstoppable at times, tormenting Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté and the rest of the Liverpool defence.