PARIS-SAINT GERMAIN got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start as a Kylian Mbappe penalty set them up for a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the Parc des Princes.
The French champions had dominated the first half without overly troubling the Dortmund defence, but they went ahead four minutes after the break when Mbappe scored a spot-kick awarded for a Niklas Suele handball.
Achraf Hakimi added a memorable second, and PSG could have won the Group F encounter by a far more handsome margin in the end.
The result immediately puts them in control of the group, after AC Milan and Newcastle United drew 0-0 earlier, and coach Luis Enrique will hope they can build on this performance when they visit the English side next in a fortnight.
Dortmund, meanwhile, were nowhere near their best and must improve when they entertain Milan next in what is an unforgiving section.
They are still adapting to life without Jude Bellingham and coach Edin Terzic also dropped Sebastien Haller here, with the big striker enduring a difficult start to the campaign.
Joao Felix struck twice as Barcelona flexed their muscles with a crushing 5-0 win over Royal Antwerp, showing their determination to be considered among Europe’s elite once again.
After consecutive humiliating group stage eliminations Barcelona are desperate to go deep in this season’s competition, last winning it eight years ago.
Felix shone for the Spanish champions on a stroll on a warm night in the Catalan capital, helped on their way by an own goal, with Robert Lewandowski and Gavi also scoring.
Barcelona’s 2015 triumph was the last in a run of four victories over a golden decade in the club’s history, during which current coach Xavi Hernandez was a key figure in midfield.
Xavi said those feats weighed heavy on the club now, that the current team were under “brutal” pressure to succeed in Europe.
It did not show against Antwerp, with Barcelona brushing aside Marc van Bommel’s Belgian title-winners with ease in their first Champions League appearance at the Olympic Stadium.
LAZIO KEEPER IVAN PROVEDEL SCORES IN THE 95TH MINUTE!!! 🤯
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 19, 2023
THE LAST TOUCH OF THE GAME!
WHAT THE #UCL IS ALL ABOUT 👏 pic.twitter.com/dmEBffFIEi
Goalkeeper Ivan Provedel was Lazio’s unlikely goalscoring hero as he headed home an equaliser deep into stoppage-time to secure a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid.
It was a memorable Champions League debut for Provodel at the Stadio Olimpico, becoming the fourth goalkeeper in the history of the competition to score a goal.
Pablo Barrios was on target for Atletico in the first half, his effort taking a big deflection off Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada.
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Written by AFP and posted on the42.ie
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