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Warren Zaire-Emery breaks Champions League goalscoring record in Dortmund draw

sportsmole.co.uk, 14 December 2023, 08:22
Paris Saint-Germain protege Warren Zaire-Emery wrote another piece of history by breaking a Champions League goalscoring record in his side's 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund in Group F.

Sitting two points clear of AC Milan and Newcastle United heading into the final matchday, Luis Enrique's side required a victory at the Westfalenstadion to assure themselves of a spot in the knockout stages.

Les Parisiens let a surfeit of chances to take the lead pass them by, including a 17th-minute Kylian Mbappe strike which Niklas Sule remarkably cleared off the line with a sliding challenge, which came moments before Bradley Barcola hit the post with a curling effort.

PSG's wastefulness would come back to bite them in the 51st minute, as Achraf Hakimi lost the ball in a dangerous area and could only watch on helplessly as Niclas Fullkrug teed up Karim Adeyemi for the game's opening goal.

However, Dortmund's advantage was wiped out just five minutes later, as Zaire-Emery collected a loose ball just outside the box and drove into the penalty area before unleashing a fierce low strike into the bottom corner.

In doing so, the 2006-born starlet became the youngest-ever French player to score in the Champions League at 17 years and 280 days old, dethroning the previous record holder Karim Benzema, who was 17 years and 352 days when he netted for Lyon against Rosenborg in 2005.

As well as earning a place in the record books, Zaire-Emery's strike ensured that PSG would be present in the last 16 of the Champions League for the 12th season running, as the French champions pipped AC Milan to second place by the skin of their teeth.

Boasting a superior head-to-head record than Milan but an inferior one to Newcastle, PSG were heading out of Europe's top tournament when Joelinton gave the Magpies the lead at St James' Park, but Christian Pulisic and Samuel Chukwueze's strikes saw Milan complete a praiseworthy second-half comeback.

The Rossoneri's 2-1 success in the North East of England saw them end Group F level on points with PSG, but owing to their head-to-head goal difference of +2 compared to Milan's -2, Enrique's men claimed second place and demoted Stefano Pioli's side down to the Europa League.

At the Westfalenstadion, Zaire-Emery made his first start since sustaining a serious ankle injury in November - which was originally expected to sideline him until 2024 - and the France international has insisted that he will only look back on the positive aspects of PSG's mixed group-stage run.

"I only remember the positive. We had a good match overall and managed to create chances, which is the hardest thing in football, we now have to make them happen," Zaire-Emery told PSG's media channels.

"We only keep the positive, we will see what happens later but we will be ready, whatever team we face. I had a good experience with this match, we knew how to manage our emotions. This is what we learn. We came to get first place, that was the objective, but we will do everything to win the next matches.

"My match? I felt good. I was coming back from injury and had played part of the match against Nantes. So I was doing well cardio wise. I had prepared well to come back. I was very good."

Prior to Wednesday's showdown in Germany, Zaire-Emery had already become PSG's youngest-ever player and goalscorer in any competition, before scoring on his France debut to become Les Bleus' second-youngest scorer of all time.

By finishing second in Group F, PSG will face one of seven group winners in Arsenal, Manchester City, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad or Atletico Madrid in the last 16, the draw for which will take place on Monday.

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