Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain beat Juventus in their first game of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League season. Elsewhere, Manchester City put four past Sevilla.
Five minutes were all it took for Mbappe to score his, and Paris Saint-Germain’s, first goal of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League campaign. Latching onto a scooped ball over the opposition defence by his teammate Neymar, the Frenchman put his laces through it, leaving goalkeeper Mattia Perin with no chance.
Two minutes past 20, Mbappe played a one-two with Achraf Hakimi, and connected sweetly with the ball as it came back his way, putting his side in the driving seat.
Weston McKennie pulled a goal back for Juve in the 53rd minute, rising highest to head in a Filip Kostic cross, but the damage had been done by Mbappe in the first half itself, and Max Allegri’s side left Paris with a defeat in their opening game of the European season.
In the other Group H game, SL Benfica beat Maccabi Haifa 2-0, courtesy of second-half strikes from Rafa Silva and Alejandro Grimaldo.
In Group G, Manchester City put four past Sevilla to commence the hunt for their first-ever UEFA Champions League title. Erling Haaland continued his extraordinary form by converting a Kevin De Bruyne cross in the 20th minute and then a rebound in the 67th after Yassine Bounou had saved Phil Foden’s shot.
Between the Norwegian’s two strikes, Foden had registered himself on the scoresheet, turning the Sevilla defence in and out inside their own box before finding the corner with expert precision.
Ruben Dias tapped a Joao Cancelo cross from close range in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to complete the rout.
Borussia Dortmund put three past FC Copenhagen in their Group G encounter, with Giovanni Reyna providing two assists after recovering from his injury struggles. Marco Reus put Dortmund in front in the 35th minute with a strike from close range before Raphael Guerreiro made it 2-0, seven minutes later. Jude Bellingham fired in the German side’s third late on to complete a convincing victory.
