Wolfsburg beat PSG after penalty and red card drama

Wolfsburg will take a 1-0 advantage into the second leg of their Women’s Champions League quarter-final.

A cagey first leg at the Parc des Princes was decided by huge penalty drama early in the second half, when PSG had a spot-kick appeal overruled and Wolfsburg were given one of their own.

Elisa de Almedia was sent off for a second yellow in the incident for PSG whilst Dominique Janssen slotted the ball into the back of the net, which was all that could separate the two sides going into next week.

PSG rested a number of players from their semi-final win over Thonon Evian in the Coupe de France on Saturday and started the match strongly, but it was Ewa Pajor who nearly scored the opener for Wolfsburg after a mistake from goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi in the first half.

Both sides had some half chances which came to nothing as they went into half-time goalless.

In the 54th minute, Marina Hegering made a challenge on Sakina Karchaoui inside the penalty area and referee Rebecca Welch initially pointed to the spot. However, VAR showed Heggering touched the ball before making contact so the decision was overturned after Welch went to the monitor.

A minute later and a corner from Wolfsburg saw Lena Oberdorf struck the stretched arm of Elisa de Almeida.

Nothing was given by referee Welch, but she went to the monitor and changed her mind, which let to De Almeida being booked for a second time, so was sent off, and Wolfsburg were awarded a penalty.

Janssen stepped up and converted the spot-kick by putting the ball into the bottom left corner.

The conservative nature of the match continued, despite PSG being down to 10 players, until the French side nearly found a late equaliser in the 97th minute, when a superb Kheira Hamraoui was narrowly missed by Amalie Vangsgaard.

• ‘Thank you to all my fans!’ – Ozil announces retirement from professional football
• Mancini under pressure to rebuild against England after Italy’s ‘lowest moment in recent history’