Sport WEDNESDAY 14 APRIL 2021 Japan'sJap Matsuyama - A reluctant star hheadse home with the green jacket Hopefully,Hop I’ll be a pioneer in this and many other Japanese willwill follow. I’m glad to be able to open the floodgates. Hope- fully,fully and many more will follow me. Hideki Matsuyama Sport |08 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: QUARTER-FINALS (SECOND LEG) Borussia Dortmund vs Man City (1-2), Liverpool vs Real Madrid (1-3) Parisians beat title holders on away goals; Chelsea see off Porto PSG edge Bayern, reach CL semis REUTERS – PARIS last week's first leg but he provided an emphatic response in a cagey game Paris Saint-Germain reached the with his acrobatic strike deep into Champions League semi-finals despite added time. a 1-0 home defeat by Bayern Munich Thomas Tuchel's side had a healthy yesterday as the title holders bowed lead from last week's away game in out on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate Seville and had to withstand an intense result. start from Porto in their home leg back Eric Choupo-Moting scored the at the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, the only goal of a mesmeric encounter venue of both games due to Portugal's before the interval but it was not coronavirus restrictions. enough to overturn the German side's Porto's Jesus Corona closed down 3-2 loss in last week's first leg. Chelsea's Edouard Mendy early on but PSG, who had struggled at times in failed to make the most of the keeper's Munich, had the clearest chances but botched pass. The Mexican winger lacked efficiency, with Neymar hitting missed another good chance later in the woodwork twice and Kylian the half when he shuffled past Ben Mbappe's speed again proving tough Chilwell in the area only to blast over to handle. the crossbar. Mauricio Pochettino's PSG side, Chelsea's Mason Mount and however, kept their composure in a Christian Pulisic each came close to nerve-wrecking finale to book their breaking the deadlock after the interval spot in the last four against Manchester but the Londoners were more focused City or Borussia Dortmund as they look on keeping Porto at bay. to reach the final for the second year Taremi's last-gasp strike prevented in a row. them from keeping a clean sheet but Their home form has been cause Chelsea still managed to reach the for concern this season, but this time semi-finals of Europe's top competition PSG did not freeze as they proved Paris Saint-Germain’s coach Mauricio Pochettino celebrates with Neymar for the first time since 2014. extremely dangerous on the break and his team-mates after the match against Bayern Munich yesterday. Meanwhile, Real Madrid coach Zin- throughout the match. edine Zidane has said his side will not In the absence of injured captain seek to just cling on to their 3-1 lead Marquinhos, Danilo started alongside denied Neymar in a one-on-one after the German champions the lead on the Hansi Flick's team created danger when they visit Liverpool in today's Presnel Kimpembe in central defence the Brazilian had been found unmarked night five minutes before the break. in the box repeatedly in the closing quarter-final second leg despite for the French champions while Bayern by Mbappe. PSG were close again early in the stages but the home side's defence held recently admitting his players are were without Leon Goretzka in the Neymar was at it again three times second half when Angel Di Maria con- firm as they avenged last year's 1-0 exhausted. midfield. in a handful of minutes with a pow- trolled Mbappe's cross splendidly and final defeat by Bayern. "We're not going to try and manage Bayern applied the pressure early erful shot that Neuer deflected onto his passed the ball past a flying Neuer Elsewhere, in Seville, Mehdi Taremi our effort levels, we've come here to on but PSG threatened on the counter post, a superb curled effort that crashed across the face of goal, only for Ney- scored a stunning overhead kick to win and that's what we'll try to do," with Mbappe and Neymar having the against the bar and another attempt mar's stretching effort to slide it home hand Porto a 1-0 victory over Chelsea Zidane told a news conference. early chances in an error-strewn start. that hit the post after he was played being a few inches too short. but it was not enough to prevent the "A lot of things have happened to The visitors had their first attempt through by Mbappe. Mbappe thought he had equalised Premier League side from progressing us this season, we are missing a lot of in the 25th minute when Leroy Sane's However, Bayern then went in in the 78th minute after being played to the last four with a 2-1 aggregate players right now and, while I'd love curled short from outside the box went front as Choupo-Moting headed home through by Neymar from just inside win. to have them all available, we're going just wide. after PSG keeper Keylor Navas Bayern's half, but a VAR review con- The substitute had been respon- to make sure we put in our best per- PSG came close on a quick break deflected David Alaba's shot into the firmed Italian referee Daniele Orsato's sible for his side's only attempt on formances with the players we have," as Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer path of the former PSG player, giving decision to rule it out. target as they chased a 2-0 deficit from Zidane added. AFC CHAMPIONS Al Rayyan, Goa LEAGUE TODAY'S FIXTURES open ACL quest GROUP B DOHA Pakhtakor (UZB) vs Tractor FC (IRN) THE PENINSULA/AFC– Sharjah Stadium (Sharjah) Qatar football giants Al Rayyan will be out to spoil FC Goa's historic appearance in the AFC Cham- Sharjah (UAE) vs Air Force Club (IRQ) pions League (ACL) when the two teams begin their Sharjah Stadium (Sharjah) Group E campaigns today at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. GROUP D The match kicks off at 8:00pm Qatar time. Al Sadd SC (QAT) vs Foolad The hosts Goa become the first Indian side to Khouzestan FC (IRN) play in the ACL group stage, while Al Rayyan will King Fahd International Stadium (Riyadh) Al Sadd players in action during be looking to make the knockout stage for the Kick off at 9:00pm Qatar time a training session in Riyadh first time. Al Rayyan, who finished third in the 2020-21 yesterday. Al Wehdat (JOR) vs Al Nassr (KSA) QNB Stars League, will be making their 12th King Saud University Stadium (Riyadh) appearance in the continental event. “My team has prepared well for this match GROUP E Xavi leads Al Sadd into against FC Goa and they are ready. This will be my Persepolis FC (IRN) vs Al Wahda FSCC first time coming here and playing in this stadium,” (UAE) Al Rayyan coach Laurent Blanc said yesterday. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Goa) Asian Champions League “We will give our best and it’s good to be here. “I want my team to play their best in this com- AP – RIYADH Al Rayyan SC (QAT) vs FC Goa (IND) “The toughest tournament progress to the knockout stage. petition. This season is going to be very tough con- awaits us,” the former star mid- In order to reduce travel in sidering the rest days between the matches," the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Goa) Xavi Hernandez was touted as fielder said. the global pandemic, the Asian Frenchman said. Kick off at 8:00pm Qatar time a future coach of Barcelona even “We are in an excellent Football Confederation (AFC) "We all have our targets and ambition but our before leading Al Sadd to the period and fully ready to decided in March that each focus is on Goa FC and they are not an easy team Al Duhail players take part in a training Qatar Stars League title unde- compete.” group will be staged in one city to beat,” the former PSG coach said. session ahead of tomorrow's match against feated earlier this month. His Xavi took over Al Sadd in with each team playing six Goa's headd coachcoach JuanJuan Fer-Fer- Al Shorta of Iraq. chances will only improve if he May 2019 but even with former games in just 15 days. rando, who hasas the likes ofof can add the Asian Champions Arsenal star Santi Cazorla in Al Sadd will play all its Ivan Gonzalez,z, captaincaptain League title to his accomplish- strong form, the 2021 tour- games in Riyadh, home of Al Edu Bedia andd JorgJorgee ments this year.a. namenta e tw will be beabgge a bigger cchal- a Nassr. Ortiz at his dis-dis- The group stage of the con-con- lenge than usual.usual. Elsewhere,Elsewhere, 2019 championcha posal, will be tinental competitionpetition kicks ooffff TheThe numbernumber Al Hilal is hosting GroGroupu A in banking onn home today in the western zone ooff teams has Riyadh with two teateamsm from advantage att a venue which includeses Al Sadd. beenbeb e n CentralCentral AsiaAsia - AGMKAGM of where they havehave been The side plays Iranian expandedexpanded Uzbekistan and TajikistanTajikista pow- dominant in the Indian side Foolad in itsits fromfrom 3232 to erhouse Istiklol - makingm Super Leaguee (ISL). opening Groupoup D 40 whichwhich meansmeans theirtheir first appearances.appeara “This matchatch isis thethe match.