Nuno Mendes delivered a dramatic late blow to Aston Villa, scoring deep into stoppage time to give Paris St-Germain a crucial advantage in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Parc des Princes.
Villa seemed poised to head back to Villa Park needing to overcome just a one-goal deficit until Mendes struck in the dying moments, leaving Unai Emery’s side reeling.
The visitors had shocked the newly crowned French champions when Morgan Rogers scored at the far post, converting Youri Tielemans’ cross from the left in the 35th minute, much to the delight of the away fans, including the Prince of Wales, a long-time Villa supporter.
However, PSG equalized just four minutes later, with Desire Doue unleashing a stunning curling shot from 20 yards that left Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez with no chance.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG’s exceptional Georgian winger, continued to cause problems for Villa throughout the match. He put PSG ahead just four minutes after halftime, skillfully evading substitute Axel Disasi before firing a powerful shot past Martinez at his near post.
While Martinez made several impressive saves, he ultimately found himself outwitted by Mendes in the final moments of the match. This left Emery and his Villa side feeling despondent, as the local fans celebrated a thrilling victory.
