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France edge Suso sizzler Slovakia for salvages Milan world15 team gold draw19 at Lazio WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 Denver Nuggets stun Golden Warriors Page 18 PARIS: Barcelona’s Andre Gomes, centre, and Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, left, save an attempt on goal during the Champion’s League round of 16, first leg soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Barcelona at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, yesterday. — AP Di Maria stars as PSG stun Barcelona PARIS: Angel Di Maria scored a brilliant brace on his Camp Nou next month. This was PSG’s night, though, worked Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the Barca goal before with Marco Verratti and rifling a shot past the goalkeep- birthday as Paris Saint-Germain sensationally destroyed and Unai Emery’s side will surely go on to secure a fifth they got the opener. er from the right side of the area. Barcelona 4-0 at the Parc des Princes in their Champions successive appearance in the quarter-finals. PSG had The menacing Draxler was fouled just outside the The expectation was that Barcelona would come League last 16 first leg yesterday. twice been eliminated from the Champions League at area and Di Maria bent the resulting free-kick over the out fighting after the restart but instead they fell fur- Di Maria, the former Real Madrid star, opened the the hands of Barcelona in the last four seasons, and the wall and in for his third goal in the Champions League ther behind in the 55th minute to a piece of brilliance scoring in the 18th minute and curled in another 10 Catalans also had a fearsome record in games against this season. Crocked following an early foul by Rabiot, from Di Maria. minutes into the second half to celebrate his 29th birth- sides coached by Emery, losing just one of 23 before Neymar was off the field receiving treatment as the Parc The move started with Trapp rolling a goal-kick out day in style. January signing Julian Draxler also netted this. But Luis Enrique’s team, for all the brilliance of des Princes crowd erupted. to Rabiot on the edge of his own box and the midfielder in between while Edinson Cavani marked his 30th birth- Lionel Messi, have recently looked more fragile than in a He was able to continue, but the visitors were lack- turning away under pressure from Messi. It ended with day by adding his name to the scoresheet in the 71st long time and the French champions showed no fear. lustre, Luis Suarez starved of service, Messi quiet and Di Maria curling a left-foot shot high into the top-left minute in the French capital. They were without injured captain Thiago Silva and skipper Andres Iniesta struggling to cope. corner of the net from the edge of the other area. Barcelona were completely stunned, the defeat their the suspended Thiago Motta, meaning a start for Adrien One Neymar acceleration did lead to an Andre Di Maria then came off to a standing ovation, but biggest European humiliation since losing 7-0 on aggre- Rabiot in midfield and a Champions League debut in Gomes shot that was turned behind by Kevin Trapp, but Paris were not finished. Thomas Meunier surged for- gate to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals in 2013. defence for 21-year-old Presnel Kimpembe. otherwise the chances were at the other end. ward from right-back and set up Cavani, who thumped They are now staring at a first exit from the competi- Draxler also made his European debut for the club Ter Stegen saved from Draxler after a counterattack, home his 34th goal of the season in all competitions. A tion before the quarter-finals in a decade, unless they and the German was superb as PSG pressed Barcelona but there was nothing he could do as the German made miserable night for Barcelona was compounded when can pull off a miraculous escape in the second leg at the high right from the off-the home side had already it 2-0 five minutes from half-time, exchanging passes Samuel Umtiti hit the post late on. — AFP Benfica sneak classic win as Aubameyang fluffs Dortmund LISBON: Benfica pulled off a classic to cross from the byline. But with smash and grab job as they beat Borussia Ederson stranded, Aubameyang was Dortmund 1-0 in their Champions inches away from converting the ball League last 16 first leg yesterday. into an empty net from two yards out. Greek striker Kostas Mitroglou scored Moments later, Ederson was a relieved the only goal of the game, prodding man to see Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli home from close range at the second wave away Dortmund protests after the attempt just after half time after goalkeeper clattered into Dembele on Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki the edge of his box. stopped his initial effort. Having produced nothing in the first Benfica goalkeeper Ederson, who has half, Benfica went in front three minutes relegated former Brazil first choice shot- into the second after Mitroglou was left stopper Julio Cesar to the bench this sea- unmarked two yards out to poke home son, was the star of the show making a Luisao’s header from a Pizzi corner. slew of crucial saves. But Dortmund will Thereafter, the one-way traffic con- have many regrets after a wasteful per- tinued heading towards the home goal formance, in particular from striker was relentless. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who had a Ederson saved a point-blank effort torrid evening, missing three gilt-edged from Dembele inside the six yard box opportunities. before Aubameyang lifted a carbon copy Dortmund had the first clear chance of his first half chance again just over the of the night on 10 minutes as French bar. Ederson made smart stops to deny youngster Ousmane Dembele slipped Marco Reus and then Lukasz Piszczek Aubameyang in on goal, but the Gabon before Dortmund were given a lifeline striker lifted his shot not only over when Fejsa handled a cross from Marc Ederson but also the bar. Bartra. But Aubameyang’s miserable Dortmund were well on top in the night continued with a woeful penalty early stages but poor control cost stroked nonchalantly down the middle Raphael Guerreiro and Erik Durm when that the static Ederson merely punched well placed to shoot. clear. Aubameyang was put out of his The visitors then fashioned a chance misery a few minutes later as coach with Guerreiro picking out Dembele 10 Thomas Turchel replaced him with Andre yards from goal but reported Manchester Schuerle just past the hour mark. United target Victor Lindelof bravely Dortmund continued to press but threw himself in front of the shot to Reus hooked a volley wide before deflect the ball behind for a corner. Ederson showed lightening reactions Dortmund should have gone in front to save one-handed from a Christian on 38 minutes when Benfica centre-back Pulisic volley that took a wicked LISBON: Dortmund’s midfielder Julian Weigl (L) vies with Benfica’s Chilean forward Andre Carillo during the UEFA Champions League round Ljubomir Fejsa dallied allowing Guerreiro deflection. — AFP of 16 first leg football match SL Benfica vs Borussia Dortmund at the Luz stadium in Lisbon yesterday — AFP .