Glasgow City 0-2 PSG: French too strong in Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain's Kheira Hamraoui finishes a well-worked corner

An excellent display from Glasgow City was not enough to avoid defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Uefa Womens Champions League quarter-final.

Well-worked goals from Anissa Lahmari and Kheira Hamraoui broke the resistance of a well-drilled home side.

The visitors continued to press forward but the Scottish champions held firm.

That defending keeps City in the tie ahead of Saturday's second leg in the French capital.

Head coach Eddie Wolecki Black had warned that his usually free-scoring players would have more of a defensive job to do, and that was evident in the opening stages.

They weathered the storm well, but were eventually cut open after 19 minutes by a sweeping move that showed the skill and technique their opponents possessed.

Laure Boullaeu launched an intricate one-touch passing move involving Kosovare Asllani and Marie-Laure Delie, before cutting the ball back for Lahmari to finish.

Delie forced a save from Lee Alexander a minute later, but Fiona Brown did likewise at the other end as City began to find their feet.

With the visitors content having scored an away goal, and City organised and disciplined, the pace of the game slowed as it headed towards half-time.

But seven minutes into the second half, PSG doubled their lead with a brilliantly worked corner kick.

Paris Saint-Germain's Anissa Lahmari fires the visitors into the lead

It was played low along the ground and dummied twice before being rolled back into the path of Hamraoui, who side-footed over Alexander from the edge of the box.

Again City refused to wilt against the favourites and they kept French chances at a premium.

Asllani's jinking run from the left caused problems before she was closed down near goal, and substitute Linda Bresonik fired in a thumping shot that Alexander got behind comfortably, but that was as close as PSG could get to a third.

The sides meet again in the Parc Des Princes on Saturday, with City perhaps relieved the tie is not yet over.

Glasgow City: Alexander, Lauder, Jones, Love, O'Sullivan, Montgomery, Docherty, McCulloch, Black, Ross, Brown. Subs: McMurchie, Rafferty, Lappin, Grant, Fairlie, Cunningham.

Paris Saint-Germain: Kiedrzynek, Dali, Boulleau, Georges, Delannoy, Asllani, Houara, Hamraoui, Kaci, Delie, Lahmari. Subs: Bresonik, Krahn, Benameur, Alushi, Morroni, Geyoro, Seger.