Izuchukwu OkosiThe last round of matches in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League were played on Tuesday night across European cities.
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Most big teams booked their berths in the Round of 16 stages albeit AC Milan was a mighty disappointment on the night.
A total of 30 goals were scored in eight matches, an average of 3.75 goals per game in the Champions League on Tuesday night
Prime Business Africa presents what went down in the games on Wednesday.
Group A
Paris Saint-Germain 4 – 1 Club Brugge
Kylian Mbappe scored two fantastic goals against an ambitious Club Brugge to spoil the party for the team that was hoping to gain a Europa League spot.
The France international of Cameroonian descent smashed in a volley within the first minute and six minute later doubled the billionaires’ lead before Lionel Messi made it 3-0 for the Parisiens with a great curler.
Mats Rits reduced the arreeas for Club Brugge but Messi put the final nail on the coffin for Brugge with a, penalty kick after he was fouled.
Messi now has five UEFA Champions League goals for PSG – all at the Parc des Princes – while Mbappé has 31 in his 51 appearances in the competition.
Leipzig 2-1 Manchester City
RB Leipzig showed great character when they faced Manchester City and won 2-1 despite Club Brugge’s defeat meaning that they (Leipzig) could have afforded to lose and still finished third which guarantees a Europa League spot.
The victory means that Leipzig has defeated all three of their home games against English visitors in the Tournament’s history: against Josep Guardiola’s side, City’s neighbours Manchester United (3-2, 2020/21) and Tottenham (3-0, 2019/20).
Dominik Szoboszlai and André Silva scored for the German side last night. Riyad Mahrez header’s was only a consolation for City. Kyle Walker’s dismissal (83′) all but ended Pep Guardiola’s hopes of his comeback.
Group B
Milan 1-2 Liverpool
Liverpool were not in forgiving mood on Tuesday night as they came from a goal down to defeat AC Milan 2-1 after Fikayo Tomori had put the Rosenneri ahead.
This is as a result of Liverpool already qualified for the knockout stages – the first English team to win all their six group games.
Mohamed Salah restored parity for the Reds after Alex Oxlade Chamberlain’s powerful shot parried while ‘legendary’ Divork Origi grabbed the winner.
Milan thus finished their group in the bottom place.
Porto 1 – 3 Atletico
Antoine Griezmann’s 56th-minute tap-in and late strikes from Ángel Correa and Rodrigo De Paul sealed Atlético’s progress to the last 16, sending their opponents into the UEFA Europa League knockout round play-offs.
It was Atlético’s 50th victory in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final.
Both sides were shown red cards after Diego Simeone’s side went ahead, with Atleti’s Yannick Carrasco and Porto pair Wendell and Agustín Marchesín sent off. Sérgio Oliveira’s last-gasp penalty was scant consolation for Porto.
Group C
Borrusia Dortmund 5 – 0 Besiktas
Marco Reus and substitute Erling Haaland scored twice apiece as Dortmund coasted to victory.
It was Haaland’s 23 goals in his 19 UEFA Champions League appearances.
The two sides were already sure to finish third and fourth in the group, but the German side ensured they ended on a high.
Donyell Malen got the ball rolling before Reus hit his first from the spot after Welinton had been sent off for tripping Mahmoud Dahoud. Reus scored a superb second before being replaced by Haaland, who netted two fine headers.
Ajax 4 – 2 Sporting Lisbon
Ajax became the first Dutch side to win all six games in a UEFA Champions League group with a dominant display against a much-changed Sporting side.
Sébastien Haller started the scoring from the spot, in the process becoming only the second player after Cristiano Ronaldo to score in every group game, before further fine goals from Antony, David Neres and Steven Berghuis.
Sporting’s 12-match winning run ended, but they join Ajax in the last 16 and scored the pick of the goals through Bruno Tabata.
Haller has consequently reached ten goals in the UEFA Champions League quicker than any other player, taking just six matches to bring up double figures.
Group D
Real Madrid 2-0 Inter
Real Madrid clinched top spot in Group D thanks to two stunning strikes in Madrid.
Inter needed to win to leapfrog their opponents and started brightly, with Toni Kroos’ 17th-minute piledriver coming against the run of play.
Rodrygo hit the woodwork for the hosts, and the visitors’ uphill task became monumental just after the hour mark when Nicolò Barella was dismissed. Substitute Marco Asensio curled in off the post to clinch the win with 11 minutes left.
Madrid have won their last four games against Inter, and their last seven matches at home against the Nerazzurri.
Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Sheriff
Shakhtar were denied a first group win of the season in stoppage time as Sheriff came back to claim a point at the end of their maiden UEFA Champions League campaign. Fernando put the home side ahead before the break as the hosts dominated, but their opponents grew in stature and levelled through Boban Nikolov at the death.
Shakhtar will not be involved in European football after Christmas for the first time in a decade.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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