Messi and PSG were held by Brugge; City, Liverpool, Madrid win.
PSG
On Wednesday, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Neymar formed a near-perfect assault for Paris Saint-Germain, but they were unable to score or deliver a victory in the Champions League.
Instead, the PSG goal came from low-key midfielder Ander Herrera in a 1-1 tie with Belgian champion Club Brugge.
Despite Messi hitting the crossbar with a first-half shot, he was subsequently given a yellow card for a foul, and
Mbappé was forced to leave due to an injured left ankle.
Sébastien Haller scored four goals for Ajax in a 5-1 thrashing of Sporting Lisbon, while Christopher Nkunku
scored all of Leipzig’s goals in a 6-3 defeat of Manchester City.
Liverpool defeated AC Milan 3-2 in the Italians’ return to the tournament after a seven-season absence, while the
English teams in play combined for two victories in 14-goal contests.
In the meetings between the Madrid clubs, just one goal was scored, and Rodrygo’s 89th-minute shot won it for
Real Madrid against Inter Milan. Atlético Madrid was held to a 0-0 draw by Porto at home.
Sheriff Tiraspol, a Moldovan league debutant, defeated Shakhtar Donetsk of neighboring Ukraine 2-0.
MISFIRES IN PARIS
Last month, Messi, a three-time European champion, was added to PSG’s already outstanding roster to help the
Qatar-owned club win soccer’s most coveted club award.
The Messi-Mbappé-Neymar front line present for the first time at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Belgium, which was a small stadium.
They only played for 50 minutes together, but Mbappé did set up Herrera’s first goal in the 15th minute with a crisp first-time shot.
Club Brugge responded well to the situation, with captain Hans Vanaken tying the game in the 27th minute.
City topped Group A following a 6-3 victory against Leipzig, with six different scorers, including new acquisition Jack Grealish.
On his return to Leipzig, defender Angelo received a red card.
PSG will face City in a repeat of last season’s semifinals on Sept. 28. After a 2-1 victory in the first leg in Paris, the English champion progressed.
LIVERPOOL MAKES A RETURN
Liverpool and AC Milan had previously faced each other in the Champions League finals in 2005 and 2007 but had never met at any other level of the tournament.
Their first encounter at Anfield was a raucous event, as one would expect from a legendary stadium that thrives on European evenings.
Only a Trent Alexander Arnold-inspired first goal and a penalty saved by Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan capped Liverpool’s early charge.
Milan shocked its opponents with two fast goals just before halftime, but Salah leveled the game five minutes into the second half.
With a crisp half-volley strike in the 69th minute, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson sealed a 3-2 victory.
ALSO, YOU CAN READ:
Yom Kippur 2021 fast times: What time Jewish holiday?
When Atletico Madrid’s returning star striker Antoine Griezmann came on as a substitute in a goalless draw with Porto at the Metropolitano Stadium, he was booed by several home supporters.
MADRID IN REAL LIFE
Inter Milan-Real Madrid matched two clubs who attempted to break away from the Champions League by
signing up for the Super League debacle in April, similar to Liverpool-Milan.
Madrid, who have refused to follow the rest in abandoning the initiative, won 1-0 at San Siro thanks to Rodrygo’s
the late goal, which was brilliantly assisted by teenage replacement Eduardo Camavinga.
There were 37,000 spectators in San Siro during a week when returning fans produced boisterous atmospheres
for Champions League games, which may be at 50 percent full for games.
The sheriff has taken the Champions League to one of Europe’s most odd locations: Transnistria, a breakaway
the territory of Moldova that has proclaimed independence.
Sheriff, who had progressed through four qualifying rounds, began the match against Champions League
veterans Shakhtar with no Moldovan players in the roster.
Cristiano, a Brazilian fullback, set up both goals for Mali forward Adama Traore and Guinean forward Momo Yansane in a 2-0 victory.
On September 28, Madrid will host Sheriff.
HALLER HAS FINALLY ARRIVED.
The long-awaited European debut of Sébastien Haller for Ajax made Champions League history.
Haller was signed from West Ham in January for 22.5 million euros ($26.7 million), however, he unable to
participate in the Europa League due to an administrative mistake by his new club.
The Ivory Coast striker, who born in France, demonstrated what Ajax had been missing by scoring two goals in
the first half and two more in the second half against Portuguese champion Sporting.
Haller equaled Marco van Basten’s four-goal Champions League debut, which was a record at the time.
In November 1992, Van Basten scored all four goals in Milan’s 4-0 victory against Gothenburg in the inaugural
Champions League group stage.
Erling Haaland maintained his impressive Champions League record with a goal in Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1
victory against Beşiktaş. In 17 appearances in the tournament, the Norway striker has scored 21 goals.
Jude Bellingham, an England adolescent, scored Dortmund’s first goal and set up Haaland’s second.
MORE, ALSO, AS WELL AS:
Yom Kippur 2021 fast times: What time Jewish holiday?
SOURCE:
Messi and PSG held by Brugge; City, Liverpool, Madrid win
