Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe set up each other and Neymar added a late goal, adding shine to an otherwise disappointing performance as Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League 3-1 at Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday (14 September) Of. Messi gave a sloppy PSG side a much-needed equalizer in the 37th minute from Mbappe’s cross from the right, after scoring Maccabi’s midfielder Tjaron Cheri’s cross in the 24th minute.
“We slept a bit and conceded the first goal. Then we were able to make up the difference after that,” said Mbappe. “I hope all three of us continue to score because it means we will win the game.”
Messi’s excellent loaded pass sent Mbappe running down the left in the 69th, and he threw the ball into the bottom right corner for his third goal in two group games. Neymar caught Marco Verratti’s lofted pass from midfield in the 88th, controlled the ball to his right thigh and drilled it to end a barren run in the Champions League until December 2020.
PSG are at the top of Group H on six points with Benfica, who won 2-1 at Juventus in the second game. But it was PSG’s dissatisfying performance at times against the silky Cherry-inspired Maccabi side.
“We need to work hard and we need to improve our way of playing fast,” Mbappe told broadcaster Canal Plus.
Wearing the No. 10 jersey – but much less spectacular than PSG’s No. 10, Neymar – Cheri came close to making it 2-0 at the stroke of halftime. With some brilliant improvement that Neymar would have been proud of, Cheri swung the ball three times and then hit a 25m fizzing shot that was dropped down by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Mbappe missed early When he tried and failed to score Maccabi’s goalkeeper Joshua Cohen. Donnarumma made a short save before the home team scored the first goal. When PSG casually lost the ball again in midfield – 39 times in the first 30 minutes – Maccabi quickly moved it to the right. Dolev Hajiza whipped into a cross that Cheri passed with his left foot near a trapped Donnarumma.
to the ambassador of israel #ArgentinaEyal Sela, #messi is “a genius”#israel @IsraelArgentina @AmbEyalSela #Champions League #UEFAChampionsLeague2022 @UEFA @PSG_inside @Champions League @mhfootballclub #soccer #israel #haifa @FOXSportsArg
Read more: https://t.co/ir64e3Juce pic.twitter.com/oLkdKtm5Xp— Agencia AJN (@AgenciaAJN) September 14, 2022
As in the previous season, PSG lacked team spirit and none of the stars reacted until Mbappe burst to the left and cut a deflected pass to Messi to guide the ball home in the 37th. Gave.
But Maccabi cut through PSG’s weak midfield shortly after the break and had two half-chance. Neymar lost patience with his teammates, having long talks with Verratti and Marquinhos, but PSG’s attack made the difference again.
Mbappe netted with two quick volleys in PSG’s 2-1 win against Juventus last week, while Maccabi started the group stage with a 2-0 loss at Benfica.
(with PTI input)