Haaland soars for City in Champions League

GENEVA (AP):

IT WAS the Erling Haaland show in the European Champions League even on a night when Paris Saint-Germain superstars Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar all scored in a comeback win.

Manchester City also trailed, deep into the game, at home yesterday against Haaland’s former club Borussia Dortmund in a fascinating quick reunion for the prolific Norway prodigy.

The stage was set for Haaland to seal a 2-1 win after teammate John Stones levelled the game, scoring with a stunning shot in the 80th minute.

Haaland rose to his challenge in the 84th when he met a high cross with a twisting leap and acrobatic volley to send goalward a ball that seemed to have passed him.

It was a 26th goal in just 21 Champions League games for Haaland, who has scored for City in six straight games and has a rate of better than a goal per game this season.

City’s late win restored some order on an evening when more upset results beckoned in a competition that has been more unpredictable this season.

Midway through the second half across Europe, City and Juventus were losing at home, Real Madrid were being held goalless at home and PSG were level in Israel after trailing.

Messi had tied the game for PSG before half-time at Maccabi Haifa, but it took until the 69th for Mbappé to seize the lead and Neymar sealed a 3-1 victory in the 88th.

Madrid had to wait until the 80th to break through in a 2-0 win against Leipzig. Fede Valverde’s opening goal was followed by Marco Asensio’s sweeping shot in stoppage time.

Juventus, however, did not find the late goals they needed against Benfica and fell to a second straight 2-1 loss, after defeat in Paris last week.

Wasting a fourth-minute lead earned by Arkadiusz Milik, Juventus were beaten by a Joao Mario penalty for Benfica before half-time and a David Neres strike in the 55th.

Neres’ former club Shakhtar Donetsk – who the Brazilian winger left without playing a game after signing just weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine – continued their unbeaten run this season, drawing 1-1 with Celtic which dominated much of the play.

A tough night for Scottish clubs saw Rangers lose 3-0 at home to Napoli despite 40-year-old goalkeeper Allan McGregor saving two penalty kicks early in the second half.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter’s first game in charge of the 2021 European champions was a 1-1 draw at home to a Salzburg team that is exceeding expectations.

Chelsea led on Raheem Sterling’s curling shot in the 48th and were pegged back by Noah Okafor’s goal in the 75th. Swiss international Okafor also scored in a draw last week with AC Milan, which lead Group E.

Milan eased to a 3-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb as Rafael Leão starred and French veteran Olivier Giroud opened the scoring with a penalty in the 45th.

Copenhagen and Sevilla drew 0-0 in Denmark and are both still without a goal in Group G led by Man City.