Neymar Hat-Trick Seals Top Spot For PSG In UCL Group
10 December, 2020
Group H
Paris Saint-Germain 5-1 Istanbul Basaksehir
Paris Saint-Germain clinched top spot Group H after hammering Istanbul Basaksehir 5-1 courtesy of a hat-trick by Neymar at Parc des Princes.
The initial fixture was postponed last night following allegations of racism against the fourth official with 13 minutes already played.
The match resumed where it was halted and Neymar brought the game to life in the 21st minute by getting the opener for PSG with a curler into the top corner, before the Brazilian quickly doubled the hosts' lead seven minutes before the break with his second goal
Mitchel Bakker thought he had made it 3-0 Thomas Tuchel's charges just before the break after finishing off a move created by Neymar but the goal was disallowed and a penalty awarded to PSG for a foul by Gunok on Neymar.
The Brazilian had a chance to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot but handed Kylian Mbappe the opportunity to score his first goal of the campaign and the Frenchman eventually got the third goal for the Parisians with a powerful penalty into the far post.
Neymar completed his hat-trick five minutes after the break with powerful strike after cutting inside to his right foot, before The visitors got a consolation goal just before the hour-mark after Irfan Kahveci's shot inside the box deflected off Mehmet Topal's knee.
Mbappe rounded off the scoring for the French giants in the 63rd minute with his second goal as PSG finished at the top of the group, while RB Leipzig had to settle for second.
Group D
Midtjylland 1-1 Liverpool
Liverpool ended their Group D campaign with a 1-1 draw against Midtjylland at MCH Arena.
With qualification into the last 16 already secured as group winners, the Reds manager Jurgen Klopp rotated his team, with only goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, Mohamed Salah, Fabinho and Rhys Williams retaining their places in the line-up from the big win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Salah gave the visitors a perfect start with the opener in the first minute after pouncing on a back pass and struck a low shot under the onrushing goalkeeper Jesper Hansen.
Sory Kaba thought he had levelled matters for the Danish side ten minutes before the break with a header that was cleared off the line by Fabinho.
Alexander Scholz eventually equalised for Midtjylland just after the hour-mark from the penalty spot after a foul by Kelleher inside the box on Anders Dreyer.
Scholz found the back of the net again for the hosts from open play in the last 13 minutes but his goal was ruled out for offside and Takumi Minamino also thought he had scored the winner for Liverpool in the last minute but the goal was chalked off by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for a handball inside the box.
The sides shared the spoils in the end, with the Reds top of the group while Midtjylland ended their campaign at the bottom.
Ajax Amsterdam 0-1 Atalanta
Atalanta booked their spot in the last 16 after edging ten-man Ajax Amsterdam 1-0 in the final match of Group D at Johan Cruijff Arena.
Ajax made three changes from the win over FC Twente, with Brian Brobbey, Antony and Noussair Mazraoui recalled while Atalanta made the same number adjustments, with goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, Marten de Roon and Rafel Toloi coming to the fore.
After a goalless first stanza, the match turned on its head in the last 11 minutes after Ryan Gravenberch got his second yellow card and was sent off for Ajax.
Atalanta capitalised on their numeric advantage, as Luis Muriel snatched the winner for the Italian side in the last five minutes that booked them a spot in the last 16 with a second-place finish while Ajax had to settle for a spot in the UEFA Europa League.
Source: www.soccerladuma.co.za