The Parisians win the first leg against Häcken!

Nearly two months after topping their group after an incredible match in Munich, the Parisians were back in the most prestigious of competitions: the UEFA Women's Champions League. And for the first leg of the quarter-finals, the capital club's women's team travelled to Gothenburg in Sweden to take on BK Häcken, runners-up to Chelsea in their group campaign.

For this return to the European stage, Jocelyn Prêcheur fielded a central defence consisting of Elisa De Almeida, Eva Gaetino and Thiniba Samoura in front of the goal guarded by Katarzyna Kiedrzynek. Sakina Karchaoui played on the left flank and Jade Le Guilly on the right. In midfield, captain Grace Geyoro was supported by Jackie Groenen and Korbin Albert. Up front, Tabitha Chawinga was joined by Sandy Baltimore to form a lively attacking partnership.

The first quarter of the game was tightly contested, with both teams trying to take the game by the scruff of the neck. And against a solid Swedish team, it was difficult for the Parisians to create chances. The first danger of the evening came from Sakina Karchaoui, who unleashed a sudden left-footed shot that the Swedish goalkeeper had to turn away for a corner (19'). The capital club then stepped up the pressure in the vicinity of Häcken's goal, and it was following a set-piece nodded down by Tabitha Chawinga that our neo-Parisian Eva Gaetino opened the scoring, opportunistically, after the goalkeeper's initial intervention (0-1, 23').

It was a goal that confirmed Les Rouge et Bleu's growing strength, and apart from a long-range effort from Jusu Bah that failed to trouble Katarzyna Kiedrzynek (32'), the home side struggled to respond to Paris' intensity. Anna Anvegard and her team-mates were saved thanks to a move that at first seemed innocuous - until the referee pointed to the penalty spot for a slight contact on one of the Swedish players in the area. That was enough for Häcken to equalise through Rosa Kafaji, who needed two bites after the Parisian keeper had made an initial save (1-1, 42'). Despite an encouraging first half from Paris, the two sides went into the break on level terms.

From the start of the second half, the capital club tried to regain control of the game. Following a well-weighted through ball, Chawinga managed to score Paris's second goal, but it was eventually disallowed for offside (53'). Ten minutes later, Paris once again threatened thanks to the speed of their Malawian striker, who broke the lines on the left before passing to Sandy Baltimore. The Parisian No.21 then fed Jade Le Guilly, who saw her shot blocked by the opposing defence (63').

But the Parisians did not give up, and the introduction of Amalie Vangsgaard proved decisive. The Danish player teed up Chawinga with a cross from the right, and saw her team-mate leave Jennifer Falk no chance with a powerful left-footed shot (1-2, 74'). Gothenburg then dug deep to try and pull level for a second time, but Kiedrzynek made a fine save from the lively Rosa Kafaji (84'). Paris Saint-Germain held their nerve in the dying moments of the match to claim a precious victory away from home!