Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) pulled off a stunning 3-1 comeback victory over Aston Villa at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash, ending the English side’s seven-game winning run.
Facing his former club for the first time, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery set up defensively, hoping to frustrate the hosts early on. But PSG wasted no time testing Emiliano Martinez, with Vitinha and Ousmane Dembele both drawing saves from the Argentine keeper.
Villa, though short on attacking chances, took the lead against the run of play in the 35th minute. John McGinn intercepted the ball in midfield and launched a quick counter.
Marcus Rashford picked out Youri Tielemans on the left, who squared it for Morgan Rogers to finish coolly.
Their joy was short-lived. Minutes later, PSG’s Desire Doue leveled the score with a sensational solo goal, cutting inside from the left and blasting an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
PSG’s dominance continued into the second half. Fabian Ruiz switched play to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who danced past Axel Disasi and fired in from a tight angle to make it 2-1.
The home side pushed for more, with Hakimi going close, but the third goal didn’t arrive until the dying moments.
Dembele threaded a perfect ball through to Nuno Mendes, who calmly beat both a defender and Martinez to seal the win.
Now holding a two-goal cushion, PSG head into the second leg as strong favourites to progress — and potentially claim both the Champions League and Coupe de France titles, having already secured the Ligue 1 crown.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
