Former Premier League goalkeeper’s howler gifts PSG late 1-0 win over Girona in Champions League opener

An embarrassing late blunder gifted PSG a 1-0 home victory over Champions League debutants Girona on Wednesday night.

The visitors’ goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga let a Nuno Mendes cross from the left squirm through his legs and into the net in the final minute of normal time.

After relentless PSG pressure, Mendes´s low ball across the goal slipped through Gazzaniga´s grasp and the French giants claimed all three points,

Gazzaniga, who played for Southampton, Tottenham and Fulham fell to his knees holding his head in his hands after the calamitous error. 

The match had been one-sided, with PSG dominating in attack and registering 26 total attempts compared to Girona’s three.   

Girona’s defenders could only watch on as the ball made its way into the net in the 90th minute

PSG manager Luis Enrique admitted he did not enjoy watching their tense late win over Girona in the Champions League on Wednesday.

‘I think we were superior, but Girona played us in circles and made us dizzy. At halftime, we said that if we didn’t press, we were going to suffer. We had to win, and it was very difficult,’ Luis Enrique told Movistar Plus.

‘It was very difficult. I told (Girona manager) Michel that this was worse than giving birth, with all due respect.’

Girona’s defence effectively neutralised PSG’s attack in the first half, causing mounting frustration for the hosts as they struggled to break down their opponents.

Gazzaniga looked devastated after his error gifted the home side the three points in Paris

Mendes was delighted after helping his side make the breakthrough in the dying stages

PSG’s Marco Asensio came close to breaking the deadlock in the first half with a low shot aimed at the bottom corner, narrowly missing the post.

Just before halftime, Asensio appeared to suffer an injury, prompting manager Luis Enrique to substitute him with Randal Kolo Muani.

Following the halftime break, PSG continued to apply pressure, with Ousmane Dembele making a clear run from the halfway line only for Ladislav Krejci to execute a last-ditch challenge that preserved the scoreline for Girona.

Dembele came close again shortly after the hour, breaking free from his marker to strike a shot towards the top corner, only for it to rebound off the woodwork.

Gazzaniga spent much of his career in England, playing for Southampton, Spurs and Fulham

Girona, who seemed content with a draw, began to waste time, drawing boos from the Parc des Princes crowd as PSG started a late offensive push.

Kolo Muani narrowly missed with a shot and, shortly after, Achraf Hakimi’s close-range half-volley was saved by Gazzaniga’s legs. However, the goalkeeper’s late error ultimately decided the match.