UCL: MESSI’S BRILLIANCE SECURES TOP SPOT FOR BARCA; PSG EDGES PAST LIVERPOOL WITH 2-1; SPURS KEEPS HOPE ALIVE WITH ERIKSEN’S LATE WINNER AGAINST INTER
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Lionel Messi scored an excellent individual goal and laid on another as Barcelona beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1 to secure top spot in Champions League Group B on Wednesday.
Messi provided an assist for defender Gerard Pique to score the second for the Liga champions, who have 13 points from their five matches and an unassailable lead.
Messi’s goal was his 106th career UCL goal with Barcelona, edging past Cristiano Ronaldo’s 105 for Real Madrid for the most at a single club.
First-half goals from Juan Bernat and Neymar, who overtook Kaka as the highest-scoring Brazilian in the Champions League, were enough to secure victory for PSG and leave them with their destiny back in their own hands ahead of the trip to Red Star Belgrade. But Liverpool’s fate is now in the balance after their miserable away form continued in the Parc des Princes.
Jurgen Klopp’s team made a slow start, encouraging PSG to take control, and the hosts capitalised with Bernat opening the scoring on 14 minutes. With Neymar and Kylian Mbappe back from injury and in impressive form, PSG dominated the first half and doubled their lead when Neymar scored from close range after Edinson Cavani’s shot from Mbappe’s cross was blocked by goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
James Milner pulled one back for Liverpool from the penalty spot after Angel di Maria had fouled Sadio Mane, but Klopp’s team could not find a second after the break with their forward line of Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino unusually ineffective.
As a result, Liverpool must now beat group leaders Napoli by a two-goal margin to make it through to the round of 16 just seven months after losing last season’s Champions League final to Real Madrid in Kiev.
Christian Eriksen kept Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of reaching the round of 16 in the Champions League alive when he came off the bench to score a late winner in his side’s 1-0 victory over Inter Milan at Wembley on Wednesday.
Inter, needing just a draw to reach the knockout rounds at Tottenham’s expense, were holding firm until Eriksen smashed home his side’s winner in the 80th minute after superb work from midfield powerhouse Moussa Sissoko.
The win meant Tottenham and Inter both have seven points in Group B, but Tottenham leapfrogged the Italians into second place by virtue of their head-to-head record.
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