Sports Desk, Nov 8 ( EFE).- Erling Haaland scored twice as defending champions Manchester City eased past Young Boys 3-0 to become the first team to qualify for the knockout phase in the UEFA Champions League this season on Tuesday.
AC Milan’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek (L) challenges for the ball with Paris Saint-German’s Milan Skriniar during the UEFA Champions League group F soccer match between Ac Milan and Paris Saint-German’s at Giuseppe Meazza stadium in Milan, Italy, 07 November 2023. EFE-EPA/MATTEO BAZZI
RB Leipzig overcame Crvena zvezda 2-1 to join City in the round of 16 from the same group.
Atletico’s forward Antoine Griezmann celebrates after scoring the 3-0 lead during the Champions League soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Celtic Glasgow at Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, 7 November 2023. EFE-EPA/Kiko Huesca
Seven-time champions AC Milan shocked Paris Saint-Germain 2-1, and Atletico Madrid romped to 6-0 over Celtic in two other crucial matches.
Inbeom Hwang (L) of Belgrade and Xavi Simons of Leipzig in action during the UEFA Champions League Group G match between FK Crevna zvezda and RB Leipzig, in Belgrade, Serbia, 07 November 2023. EFE-EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC
Haaland opened the scoring at City’s Etihad Stadium from the penalty spot before Phil Foden scored the second from a tight angle in the added time of the first half.
Haaland then blasted in from outside the penalty area in the second half to complete the misery for the Boys.
The Swiss side failed to take a single shot on goal and saw midfielder Sandro Lauper sent off for the second bookable offence in the game.
City, with four wins out of four, still have to deal with Leipzig later this month to secure the top spot in Group E.
Xavi Simons and Loïs Openda scored on either side of the break to give Leipzig a comfortable lead at Belgrade.
Benjamin Henrichs’ own goal late into the contest gave Crvena some hope, but Leipzig held firm to claim their third win in the group.
Milan threw Group F wide open with their comeback win, the side’s first in the season after remaining scoreless in the previous three matches.
The Rossoneri fell behind when former Inter defender Milan Skriniar converted a stooping header.
Rafael Leao’s close-range overhead kick put the score level soon after former Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Olivier Giroud.
Giroud pounced shortly after the interval, nodding Theo Hernández’s center out of Donnarumma’s reach to become the oldest French scorer in Champions League history, overtaking Laurent Blanc.
Milan’s first win after two draws kept them within touching distance of PSG and Borussia Dortmund in the group, with the latter beating Newcastle United 2-0 earlier on the night.
Atlético were the most prolific team of the night, with Antoine Griezmann and Álvaro Morata both hitting a brace for the Madrid side.
Samuel Lino and Saul Niguez scored the other two goals as Atletico recorded the club’s biggest win in UEFA club competition since their debut in 1958.
Ciro Immobile scored his 200th goal for Lazio in his 310th appearance to give the Italian side a crucial 1-0 win over Dutch club Feyenoord in the other match of Group E.
Porto beat Antwerp 2-0 to make the most of Barcelona’s 0-1 defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk in Group H.
Evanilson and Pepe were on target as Porto joined the Spanish champions on top of Group H with three wins from four matches.
Evanilson broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute before Pepe headed in Francisco Conceição’s cross to become the oldest scorer in UEFA Champions League history at the age of 40.
He took the honour from Francesco Totti, who last found the net in November 2014, aged 38 years and 59 days. EFE
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