Arsenal 2-0 PSG (Oct 1, 2024) Game Analysis - ESPN

Updated: Oct 1, 2024, 05:42 pm

Arsenal's Kai Havertz maintained his impressive start to the season with the opening goal in a 2-0 home victory against Paris Saint-Germain which kick-started the London club's Champions League campaign on Tuesday in a game that saw summer signing Mikel Merino make his debut.

After drawing away to Italian side Atalanta in their opening game, the onus was on Mikel Arteta's side to deliver a home win against last year's semifinalists and they delivered.

Germany forward Havertz headed his side in front after 20 minutes with his fifth goal of the season, and 15 minutes later Bukayo Saka's free-kick somehow found its way into the PSG net to put the hosts in complete control.

PSG, who won their opening game against Girona, struck the woodwork in each half and played with more urgency after the interval but could have few complaints about the outcome.

Victory propelled Arsenal into the top eight of the new 36-team league phase with their next match at home to Shakhtar Donetsk after the international break. PSG will seek to bounce back in their next match at home to PSV Eindhoven.

Such is the confidence sweeping through Arsenal at the moment that a home game against seasoned European opposition managed by Luis Enrique held no fears.

They almost made the perfect start in route-one fashion as a long clearance by keeper David Raya skimmed off the wet turf and Gabriel Martinelli almost nicked it past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Arsenal took the lead in the 20th minute as Trossard was allowed too much time on the left and his lofted ball was perfect for the late run of Havertz who nodded past the out-of-position Donnarumma into an empty net.

Nuno Mendes struck a left-footed shot against the post as PSG responded but Arsenal soon doubled their lead.

Havertz's goal extended PSG's run without a clean sheet away from home in the Champions League to 20 -- a sorry sequence starting four years ago.

And the way they conceded again in the 35th would not have looked out of place on a local park pitch.

Saka curled a free kick from the right into a crowded penalty area and the ball evaded everyone and left Donnarumma red-faced as it nestled into the net.

PSG's hopes of mounting a second-half comeback were hardly helped by Luis Enrique's decision to omit forward Ousmane Dembélé from the squad for disciplinary reasons.

Instead it was Arsenal who looked like extending their lead with Martinelli's volley well saved by Donnarumma and Havertz heading weakly at the keeper.

Arsenal's comfortable position in the game allowed Arteta to bring Merino on after 63 minutes for his debut. The Spain international suffered a fractured shoulder in his first training session after completing his move from Real Sociedad.

PSG pressed hard late on and João Neves's close-range flick from a corner was turned against the crossbar by Raya who moments later did well to block Lee Kang-in's shot.

But Arsenal managed the game well as they sent out a statement of European intent.