PSG 5, Bayern 4: Record nine-goal thriller leaves Champions League semi finely poised

Paris Saint-Germain beat Bayern Munich 5-4 on Tuesday in a record-setting first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal, taking a narrow advantage into next week’s return match after Bayern’s late comeback kept the tie wide open.

At Parc des Princes in Paris, Bayern led early, PSG then surged into a 5-2 advantage before conceding twice in a frantic second half. Bayern nearly left level on the night, but Joshua Kimmich had a late header cleared off the line, according to Bundesliga.com. The result gave PSG the win in the first meeting, but not much breathing room before the second leg in Munich.

Bayern struck first in the 17th minute when Harry Kane converted a penalty. PSG responded quickly. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia equalized in the 25th minute, and João Neves put the French side ahead in the 33rd.

Bayern drew level again just before halftime through Michael Olise in the 41st minute, but PSG reclaimed the lead in first-half stoppage time. Ousmane Dembélé scored from the penalty spot in the 45th minute plus five after a VAR review led to a handball decision against Alphonso Davies, Bundesliga.com reported.

PSG extended its lead after the break and appeared to seize full control. Kvaratskhelia scored again in the 56th minute to make it 4-2, and Dembélé added his second goal three minutes later for 5-2.

Bayern, however, pulled the semifinal back into reach. Dayot Upamecano scored in the 65th minute, and Luiz Díaz added another in the 69th to cut PSG’s lead to a single goal. Vincent Kompany, Bayern’s coach, was absent from the touchline while serving a one-match suspension, according to Bundesliga.com, as his team mounted its late rally.

UEFA said the nine-goal game was the highest-scoring semifinal in Champions League history and the first semifinal in the competition to produce five first-half goals. The victory was also PSG’s 100th win in the competition.

For Kvaratskhelia, the night brought another milestone. UEFA said his two goals took him to 10 in this season’s Champions League, moving him to the top of the knockout-phase scoring charts. PSG, the defending European champion after beating Inter Milan 5-0 in last year’s final, again showed its attacking strength, but Bayern’s recovery ensured the contest remains finely poised.

The second leg is scheduled for May 6 at Bayern’s Allianz Arena in Munich, with the winner advancing to the Champions League final on May 30 at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. Under UEFA rules, away goals no longer count as a tiebreaker. That means Bayern gets no special benefit for scoring four times in Paris; if it wins the second leg by one goal, the aggregate score would be level and the tie would go to extra time, then penalties if needed.