Messi Bags Spectacular Goal As PSG Humble Man City
29 September, 2021
Lionel Messi got his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain in spectacular fashion as the French giants defeated Manchester City on Tuesday evening.
UEFA Champions League
Result: Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Manchester City
Date: 28 September 2021
Venue: Parc de Princes
Messi was recalled by to the PSG attack alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe while City brought back Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez after the win over Chelsea.
The hosts had a dream start after Idrissa Gueye fired a strike into the top corner inside the box, latching onto a rebound after Neymar scuffed Mbappe's cut-back.
Pep Guardiola's charges should have been level from a counter-attack in the 26th minute after Sterling saw his header from Kevin De Bruyne's cross come off the crossbar, before Bernardo Silva latched onto a rebound and was also denied by the crossbar from two yards out.
The game was opening up after that and the Parisians almost went 2-0 up seven minutes before the half-time break after Mbappe broke away on the right before picking out Ander Herrera, whose first-time strike was tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Ederson.
City had a late surge at goal in the closing phase of the first stanza as Ruben Dias forced a save out of Donnarumma just before the half-time interval with a close-range header at the back post.
With the Citizens keeping Pochettino's men inside their own half in the early stages of the second stanza, De Bruyne came close to snatching the equaliser ten minutes from the half-time break with a close-range strike that was saved by Donnarumma.
City were vulnerable to counter-attacks and they were saved from going 2-0 down in the 65th minute by the speed of Kyle Walker, who denied Neymar a clear sight of goal after the Brazilian broke away from a transition attack.
However, Messi eventually delivered a killer punch for PSG in the last 16 minutes with a cracking first-time finish into the top corner from the edge of the box after return pass from Mbappe.
That proved to be enough on the night to secure PSG's first win in the group while City suffer their first loss.
Source: www.soccerladuma.co.za