THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2013 SPORTS19 Man City outclassed by brilliant Bayern MANCHESTER: Defending cham- pions Bayern Munich proved they remain the team to beat in the Champions League with a classy 3-1 win at Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium yesterday. Playing in England for the first time since their victory over Borussia Dortmund in last sea- son’s final, Pep Guardiola’s side gave City a lesson in relentless attacking to take control of Group D. A goalkeeping error from Joe Hart helped Franck Ribery give PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani (center) is the visitors a seventh-minute lead blocked by Benfica’s Brazilian defender Guilherme Siqueira (right) during a and they added further goals Group C Champions League football match. —AFP from Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben in the second half. Substitute Alvaro Negredo Benfica blown away replied in the 80th minute, before former City player Jerome Boateng saw red for a last-man by first-half PSG burst foul on Yaya Toure, but on the ground where they had crushed PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain indicated Ibrahimovic to roll the ball into the derby rivals Manchester United that they are genuine contenders to net. Any hopes that Benfica had of just 10 days ago, City were win this season’s Champions League ending PSG’s unbeaten home record deservedly beaten. with a stunning first-half display in a 3- in European competitions, which Victory sent Bayern three 0 win against Benfica in their Group C stood at 24 games at the start of the points clear at the top of the match yesterday. Superbly-worked evening, already appeared forlorn and group and consigned City to a LONDON: Manchester City’s French defender Gael Clichy (right) and Bayern Munich’s German for- goals scored by Zlatan Ibrahimovic their coach Jorge Jesus would have first home defeat in Europe since ward Thomas Muller jump for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Group D football and Marquinhos and another effort by feared a hiding when they fell further 2008, four days on from an unex- match. —AFP the Swede had PSG 3-0 up within half behind on 25 minutes. pected 3-2 loss at Aston Villa. an hour, and a shell-shocked Benfica It was another wonderful goal, and Guardiola boldly elected to inside Jesus Navas, and dis- existent as an attacking presence. the Dutchman streaked past never looked capable of recovering. the precocious Italian international play without a recognised striker, patched a fierce right-foot shot Dzeko headed wide during a Matija Nastasic before beating Laurent Blanc’s side are now in com- midfielder Verratti was at its origin, his bringing Toni Kroos into his team from 25 yards that beat Hart at succession of City corners early in Hart at his near post. mand of the section with a maximum brilliantly improvised pass inside the to replace Mario Mandzukic and his near post. the second period, but Bayern Hart saved from Robben, It was another moment to for- were soon back on the attack, Kroos and Ribery thereafter, while six points and seven goals scored in box releasing Matuidi to cross low for deploying Mueller as a ‘false nine’. Pellegrini handed Micah get for the England goalkeeper, with Robben seeing a shot Mueller hit the post, before City two games, and a double-header of Marquinhos to stab into an empty net. Richards only his second start of who has committed several blun- deflect wide off Vincent salvaged a measure of pride with fixtures against Belgian title-holders It was a second goal in as many the campaign at right-back, but if ders since the turn of the year, Kompany. a late flurry. Anderlecht offers them a glorious Champions League games for the the Englishman was selected to but his team-mates were faring Two goals in the space of After substitute James Milner chance to seal their last-16 place with young Brazilian defender, who is only help muzzle Ribery, the plan little better. three minutes put Bayern out of tested Neuer with a rising drive, something to spare. now getting a run in the side following quickly backfired. With Bayern pressing high, sight. They scored their second in Negredo curled home a fine 80th- The French capital club were with- his summer acquisition from Roma. David Alaba ran in behind City were unable to get a foot on the 56th minute, with Mueller minute consolation from the out injured captain Thiago Silva, but The visitors then lost Serbian mid- Richards to cross for Robben to the ball, leaving Edin Dzeko as a ghosting in behind Gael Clichy to edge of the box. Boateng was his fellow Brazilian Alex recovered fielder Ljubomir Fejsa to injury before head wide in the third minute lonely outpost in the visitors’ half bring down Dante’s lofted pass, then shown a straight red card by from a thigh knock in time to take his conceding again when Thiago Motta’s and moments later, Bayern went and causing rumbles of discon- evade Hart’s star jump, and tuck referee Bjorn Kuipers after felling place in the heart of the defence, while corner was nodded in by Ibrahimovic, ahead. tent to roll around the arena. the ball home. Toure as he bore down on goal, Blaise Matuidi shook off a foot prob- who scored his 33rd Champions A sweeping pass from Rafinha Save an early header from Moments later, Fernandinho with David Silva hitting the bar lem to start in midfield and Edinson League goal on the eve of his 32nd found Ribery wide on the left and Richards that Manuel Neuer easily was robbed on halfway by from the resulting free-kick, but Cavani returned in attack after being birthday. he brought the ball down, cut caught, City were almost non- Mueller, who fed Robben, and by then it was too late. —AFP rested at the weekend. The tempo dropped after that and Sitting five points behind leaders Benfica finally tested Salvatore Sirigu and bitter rivals Porto in their domes- in the home goal two minutes into the tic top flight just now, this was always second period, the Italian fisting away Olympiakos win at Anderlecht likely to be a massive test for Benfica, a well-struck Ezequiel Garay free-kick. even if the huge Portuguese immi- However, the outcome of the game BRUSSELS: A hat-trick by Kostas Mitroglou took Olympiakos Piraeus to a 3-0 Champions League victory grant population in Paris guaranteed was never in doubt in the second half, yesterday over an Anderlecht side who missed a penal- them a sizeable and noisy following and Lucas might even have made it 4- ty and a host of other good chances. inside the Parc des Princes. 0 shortly after coming on with 20 min- The Greece striker’s precision and a fine performance PSG have not been entirely convinc- utes to go, his shot from range sting- from keeper Roberto gave the Greek side their first ing domestically this season, but they ing the palms of Artur in goal. points in Group C. came into this fixture still unbeaten The sole concern for Blanc would Anderlecht, with no points and lying fourth in the and their expensively-assembled have been the limited impact made by domestic league, were left to rue their misfiring front squad played with an insatiable Cavani, the record summer signing line after the Greek champions made the most of limit- appetite early on, carving apart a from Napoli who does not yet fit into ed chances in both halves. Benfica side who dream of reaching a the PSG system. After several Anderlecht forays, Argentine Javier final that is scheduled to be played in The Uruguayan saw little of the ball Saviola exploited disarray in the home defence in the their own stadium next May. from his position on the right of the 17th minute to find Mitroglou, who poked the ball past The hosts were ahead inside five attack and was outshone by Anderlecht’s keeper. minutes as a magnificent move, Ibrahimovic, although he fared a little Anderlecht, beaten 2-0 by Benfica two weeks ago, involving Marco Verratti and Matuidi, better after moving inside for the clos- dominated possession and were awarded a penalty ended with Gregory Van der Wiel ing stages, finally forcing a save from when Andreas Samaris wrapped his arm around Sacha crossing low from the right for Artur after 74 minutes.—AFP Kljestan at a corner. However, Roberto dived to his right to save Aleksandar Mitrovic’s spot kick in the 24th minute. Mitroglou nipped past a stumbling Bram Nuytinck to CL results/standings take a looping header in the 56th minute and complet- ed his hat-trick in style with a long right-footed shot in Group A Played on Tuesday the 72nd minute to knock the energy out of the Belgian Shakhtar Donetsk 1, Manchester United 1. Group E champions. Bayer Leverkusen 2, Real Sociedad 1. Basel 0, Schalke 1 “It was Mitroglou’s night but I have to sing the prais- Steaua 0, Chelsea 4 es of all the players,” Olympiakos coach Michel told BRUSSELS: Anderlecht’s Aleksandar Mitrovic (right) vies with Olympiacos’ Kostas Standings P W D L F A Pts uefa.com.—Reuters Manolas during their European Champions League football match. —AFP Man United 2 1 1 0 5 3 4 Schalke 2 2 0 0 4 0 6 Shakhtar Donetsk 2 1 1 0 3 1 4 Basel 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 Bayer Leverkusen 2 1 0 1 4 5 3 Chelsea 2 1 0 1 5 2 3 Real Sociedad 2 0 0 2 1 4 0 Steaua 2 0 0 2 0 7 0 Leverkusen notch first win Group B Group F Juventus 2, Galatasaray 2, Dortmund 3, Marseille 0 Real Madrid 4, FC Copenhagen 0 Arsenal 2, Napoli 0 LEVERKUSEN: Bayer Leverkusen needed a halftime with captain Simon Rolfes sliding in ances in 2004 and 2011, are on three points, last-gasp goal from substitute Jens Hegeler to after seeing his powerful header saved.