Alisson Becker put on a goalkeeping clinic, making nine saves—his highest tally in a single match for Liverpool—and thwarting 2.26 expected goals (xG) worth of chances. PSG dominated with 27 shots, 10 on target, and 72% possession, but couldn’t breach Alisson’s wall.

The match, which took place in the first leg of the Round of 16, saw Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott score the decisive goal in the 87th minute, just moments after coming on as a substitute.

This win not only highlighted Alisson’s exceptional skills but also reinforced his status as one of the world’s top goalkeepers, earning him widespread acclaim from fans and analysts alike.

Key moments included a stunning double save against Ousmane Dembélé in the first half and a breathtaking stop from Désiré Doué’s curling shot in the 80th minute. His performance was so exceptional that he later called it “probably the best of my life,” a sentiment echoed by manager Arne Slot, who hailed him as “the best goalkeeper in the world.”

Liverpool, outplayed for most of the match, barely mustered two shots, but substitute Harvey Elliott made his count. Entering in the 87th minute for an off-form Mohamed Salah, Elliott scored with his first touch—47 seconds after coming on—thanks to a clever assist from fellow sub–Darwin Núñez. The goal, a low drive past Gianluigi Donnarumma, was a classic smash-and-grab moment, giving Liverpool a slim but vital lead to take back to Anfield.

PSG’s attack, led by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia—who had a goal disallowed for a tight offside call—and Dembélé, relentlessly tested Liverpool’s defense, but Alisson’s brilliance and Elliott’s opportunism flipped the script. It was a night where Liverpool’s resilience, bolstered by their goalkeeper’s masterclass, defied the run of play to secure a result that could prove pivotal in their Champions League campaign.

At the Etihad Stadium, Plymouth Argyle shocked the crowd by taking an early lead against Manchester City in the FA Cup with a goal from Maksym Talovierov in the 37th minute. However, Manchester City, not to be outdone, responded with goals from Nico O’Reilly and Kevin De Bruyne, clinching a 3-1 victory.

This game was a testament to the competitive spirit of the FA Cup, where underdogs like Plymouth can challenge giants. Despite the loss, Plymouth’s campaign was celebrated for its resilience and spirit, having previously shown their mettle against top-tier teams. Kevin De Bruyne was named MVP, reflecting his pivotal role in the match.

Pep Guardiola’s side, featuring 11 changes from their midweek win over Tottenham, responded just before halftime. Kevin De Bruyne, the FA Cup’s assist king over the past decade with 18 contributions, delivered a pinpoint free kick that Nico O’Reilly headed home to level the score at 1-1. The 20-year-old academy product, who nearly joined Chelsea last month, proved his worth again in the 78th minute, nodding in a Phil Foden corner to put City ahead 2-1.

With Plymouth’s resistance waning, Guardiola unleashed Erling Haaland off the bench, and the Norwegian striker set up De Bruyne for a tap-in in the 90th minute, sealing the 3-1 triumph. City’s shot count of 28 to Plymouth’s 1 underscored their eventual control, though the scoreline flattered a performance that required grit to overcome an inspired underdog.

Plymouth, managed by Miron Muslic, exited with pride intact, having forced City to dig deep and swap shirts with stars like Haaland and Foden as souvenirs. For City, the win keeps alive their last realistic shot at silverware in a season of struggles, though it highlighted persistent vulnerabilities. O’Reilly’s brace and De Bruyne’s composure spared Guardiola’s blushes, but the scare from a team 62 places below them in the English football pyramid serves as a reminder of City’s fragility. They now await the quarter-final draw, hoping to build momentum from a victory that, while hard-fought, keeps their FA Cup dreams alive.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for defining the Laws of the Game in soccer, has introduced a significant rule change to address goalkeeper time-wasting, effective from the 2025-26 season.

Announced on March 1, 2025, during IFAB’s 139th Annual General Meeting in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the amendment modifies Law 12.2, which governs indirect free kicks. Starting July 1, 2025—though implemented earlier for the FIFA Club World Cup beginning June 14, 2025—goalkeepers who hold the ball for more than eight seconds will concede a corner kick to the opposing team, replacing the rarely enforced six-second limit that previously warranted an indirect free kick.

The change stems from years of frustration over lax enforcement of the existing rule, where goalkeepers often held the ball far beyond six seconds without penalty—an IFAB study noted an average of 20 seconds during deliberate delays, compared to under six for quick releases.

Trials in youth leagues in England, Italy, and Malta’s top flight this season demonstrated the new rule’s effectiveness. Referees used a visual five-second countdown—raising an arm and lowering it like a clock—to signal the final warning, resulting in only four corner kicks awarded across over 400 matches, suggesting a strong deterrent effect. IFAB’s data indicates goalkeepers adjusted their behavior, releasing the ball faster to avoid the penalty, aligning with the goal of speeding up play.

Unlike the indirect free kick, which referees hesitated to award due to its proximity to goal and high scoring potential, a corner kick offers a balanced consequence: it punishes time-wasting without overly favoring the attacking team, as scoring from corners is less likely than from free kicks inside the box.

The rule will apply universally, though leagues can opt to adopt it earlier or delay until their next season if mid-campaign by July 2025. This shift, unanimously approved by IFAB’s members—FIFA and the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—marks a pragmatic step to enhance game flow, with early implementation set for the FIFA Club World Cup, including teams like Chelsea and Manchester City.