MUNICH (AP):
Ousmane Dembélé scored early and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) eliminated Bayern Munich with a 1-1 draw to reach the Champions League final again yesterday.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia raced clear after playing a simple one-two with Fabián Ruiz in midfield, then picked out the unmarked Dembélé to sweep the ball in under the crossbar in the third minute of the semi-final second leg.
By the time Harry Kane equalised in stoppage time, it was too late to keep alive Bayern’s dream of a Bundesliga, German Cup, and Champions League treble.
The draw gave PSG, the defending champions, a 6-5 win on aggregate after edging their encounter 5-4 in the first leg in Paris last week.
The French league leaders will face Arsenal in the final in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30, after the Gunners defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 on Tuesday to progress 2-1 on aggregate.
“It’s magnificent, two finals,” PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi said.
“Now we will go there and try to fetch a second star. I said to the players, we are warriors.”
PSG’s defence — breached four times in Paris last week — kept Bayern’s much-vaunted attack of Kane, Luis Díaz, and Micheal Olise largely in check.
“We know how to suffer and we’re ready for what we have to face,” PSG midfielder João Neves said. “We’re very proud of how far we’ve come.”
By the time Kane let fly for his 55th goal across all competitions, including the German Supercup for Bayern this season, PSG’s substitutes were already lining up to celebrate.
The England captain’s goal ensured Bayern have scored in every competitive match this season. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany struck an optimistic tone despite the disappointment.
“We made progress this season,” Kompany said. “We have to do it again.”
Real Madrid were the last team to achieve back-to-back titles — winning three in a row from 2016-18.
“Shoot us into the final,” the Bayern fans had urged their team with a huge choreography as the combatants emerged on the field.
Bayern only needed one goal to level the tie, but it soon turned to two after Fabián sent Kvaratskhelia on his way.
If the Georgia star was surprised by how much space he was offered by the absent defence, he didn’t stop to question it. Desiré Doué was another option queuing beside Dembélé to take a shot, with Luis Díaz the closest Bayern player back.
Bayern’s players complained that the already-booked Nuno Mendes should have been booked again when the ball hit his arm in the first half, but referee João Pinheiro blew instead for a handball from Konrad Laimer.
There were more protests shortly afterwards when Vitinha struck teammate João Neves’ arm with the ball in the penalty area with a clearance.
Kompany played down the importance of the referee’s calls, though he also said more time should have been played in stoppage time.
While Bayern dominated possession, PSG were more efficient, with Doué and Kvaratskhelia keeping Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer alert after the break.
“PSG were killers with their five goals and how they scored (last week),” Neuer said. “That’s what we needed today. I think we were close to the final but couldn’t finish the job.”
PSG already had good memories of Munich. The city was the scene of PSG’s triumph in the final last season, when they demolished Inter Milan 5-0 to fulfil their Qatari owners’ quest to become European champion for the first time. A relatively unchanged team is well placed to deliver the second title.
Photo Caption: Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Champions League semi-final second-leg match against Bayern Munich in Munich, Germany, yesterday.
