Mbappe Stars As PSG Win at Holders Bayern Munich
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Friday 39 Sports Friday, April 9, 2021 Mbappe stars as PSG win at holders Bayern Munich MUNICH: Kylian Mbappe insisted Paris Saint- This was a record 19th appearance in the Germain still have it all to do after he scored Champions League quarter-finals for Bayern, twice in a thrilling 3-2 win at holders Bayern Mu- but there was little for them to celebrate at the nich in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter- final whistle. “Kylian Mbappe made the differ- final first leg. Bayern had their 19-match unbeaten ence. It’s a very positive result for us, but every- run in the Champions League ended in a repeat thing is still open,” said PSG coach Maurico of last year’s final, as the German giants suffered Pochettino. their first European defeat since March 2019. PSG raced into a 2-0 lead after just 28 min- Marquinhos scores and limps off utes behind closed doors at the Allianz Arena as COVID-19 cast its shadow over both teams Neymar created goals for Mbappe and Mar- with Bayern winger Serge Gnabry, plus PSG pair quinhos. Bayern, whose top scorer Robert Alessandro Florenzi and Marco Verratti quaran- Lewandowski is sidelined by a knee injury, drew tined after testing positive. Heavy snow fell in the level courtesy of headers by Eric Maxim first half in Munich as the visitors put the heat Choupo-Moting and Thomas Mueller. on the holders. However, Mbappe showed his class with a su- The opening goal came after Neymar perb second goal to give the visitors an advan- sprinted through a gaping hole in the defence tage for the return leg in Paris. “We used all our and laid the ball off for Mbappe, whose shot flew chances and had a bit of luck, but nothing has into the net through Manuel Neuer’s legs. PSG been decided,” Mbappe told Sky, with the sec- forward Julian Draxler had a goal disallowed ond leg to come in Paris on Tuesday. with Mbappe offside in the build-up as the vis- PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas played a key itors kept up the pressure. role with a string of saves as Bayern peppered Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka powered a his goal with 31 shots compared to the French header into the feet of Navas just before the club’s six. “We have to score a lot more goals,” hosts fell two goals behind. A clearance kick only MUNICH: Bayern Munich’s Austrian defender David Alaba (left) and Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian said Mueller. “If it had ended 5-3 or 6-3 for us, got as far as Neymar, whose ball over the top Mbappe vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg football match between FC Bayern no one could have complained based on the found Marquinhos unmarked in the area to Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Munich, southern Germany, on Wednesday. — AFP chances.” stroke his shot past Neuer, shortly before the Bayern coach Hansi Flick, who finished on the PSG captain limped off injured. Flick responded losing side for the first time in the Champions by bringing on Alphonso Davies to provide pace Maria had an effort cleared off the line, while longed to Mbappe, who showed his class by League, also rued the number of missed chances. on the flanks and moved David Alaba into defen- Leroy Sane went close at the other end for Bay- turning Bayern defender Jerome Boateng inside “With the chances we had, we could have got a sive midfield. The hosts pulled a goal back when ern as both teams had their chances after the and out before driving his shot past Neuer with good result despite conceding three goals,” Flick Mueller’s cross was headed past Navas by break. Bayern then equalized when Mueller nod- 22 minutes left. Bayern went down fighting as said. “We don’t like to lose, but the way the team Choupo-Moting to make it 2-1 at half-time. ded in a superb Joshua Kimmich free-kick on the Alaba and Mueller both fired agonizingly wide played was top.” Neymar was denied by Neuer and Angel Di hour. However, the wintry night in Munich be- in the dying stages. — AFP sic away performance of soaking up the pressure Chelsea punish and hitting their opponents on the counter-at- tack, their quality in the final third proving deci- Porto to put one sive. Real Madrid could lie in wait for the victors, after they beat Liverpool 3-1 on Tuesday. “There is a good atmosphere in the dressing foot in semis room, we are happy but not too happy, excited but not too excited,” said Chelsea’s coach SEVILLE: A classy goal from Mason Mount on Thomas Tuchel. “We have to have a top mental- Wednesday helped Chelsea to a 2-0 first-leg ity and a top performance next Tuesday.” win over Porto, whose wasteful finishing could Mount’s goal makes him Chelsea’s youngest have scuppered their hopes of springing another ever scorer in the Champions League at 22 years Champions League upset in the quarter-finals. and 87 days old while Chilwell’s second meant Mount’s slick turn and shot in the first half the club boasted two English scorers in a Cham- would have been painful enough for Porto, who pions League game for the first time since 2012. were the better side for large spells in Seville but Chelsea’s win also goes some way to easing repeatedly lacked the precision to take advan- the shock of Saturday’s 5-2 loss at home to West tage. Instead, their misery was compounded by Brom in the Premier League, which ended Ben Chilwell capitalizing on a mistake at the Tuchel’s 14-match unbeaten start as coach. back to score a late second that gave Chelsea “After losing such a strange game we said the another away goal and leaves them on the brink best situation would be to produce a clean sheet of the semi-finals. They were away goals only in straight away and this makes it very precious, name given both these teams were playing in the this result,” Tuchel said. Tuchel decided Thiago unfamiliar Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, where they Silva’s 29 minutes before being sent off in that will meet again next week, just with the home game were not enough to hone his sharpness, and away roles reversed. Porto were in the home meaning Andreas Christensen was picked in the dug-out, wore their home kit, had a large club back three. And Antonio Rudiger also returned, SEVILLE: Chelsea’s English midfielder Mason Mount (left) vies with FC Porto’s Nigerian defender Zaidu Sanusi during banner in the empty stand and their anthem was despite his training ground scuffle with Kepa Ar- the UEFA Champions League first leg quarter final football match between FC Porto and Chelsea FC at the Ramon the one that played out before kick-off. rizabalaga on Sunday, which Tuchel described Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville on Wednesday. — AFP Chelsea played the part too, delivering a clas- as a “serious situation”. — AFP.