Lionel Messi Scores Maiden Goal For PSG In Exemplary Fashion
Lionel Messi’s superb first goal for Paris Saint-Germain has punished former coach Pep Guardiola’s team as PSG beat Manchester City 2-0 in the Champions League group stage.
Key points:
- Lionel Messi scores his first for PSG in three starts and four games overall
- Manchester City had not lost its five previous meetings with PSG
- PSG now sits at the top of group A on the Champions League ladder, level with Club Brugge on four points
Messi charged from midfield toward the penalty area in the 74th minute, opening up more space as Achraf Hakimi made a dummy run to his right, and received a clever flick from Kylian Mbappe before curling a fine strike into the top right corner with the most famed left foot in world soccer.
“I’m very happy to have scored,” Messi said after the match.
“I’ve not been playing much recently and I’m adapting to my teammates little by little.
“The more we play together the better it will become. We need to grow together and increase our level.”
Messi’s first for PSG comes after three starts and four games overall since a shock summer move from the Spanish club.
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It was the kind he scored for fun playing under Guardiola there. The pair won the Champions League in 2009 and 2011, with the six-time Ballon d’Or winner scoring in both finals.
City had not lost in its five previous meetings with PSG, winning 2-1 in Paris and 2-0 at home in last season’s semifinals before losing to Chelsea in the final.
PSG started its dream attack of Messi, Neymar and Mbappe, but it was unheralded midfielder Idrissa Gueye who opened the scoring in the eighth minute.
He thumped the ball into the top corner after Neymar’s scuffed shot fell to him just inside the penalty area following Mbappe’s cross from the right.
City should have equalised in the 26th, but instead produced a contender for miss of the season.
Raheem Sterling’s header from Kevin De Bruyne’s cross hit the crossbar and the ball fell to winger Bernardo Silva less than two meters out. But Silva somehow scooped the ball onto the bar with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten.
