Arsenal secured a 2-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Tuesday in their highly anticipated Champions League match. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund delivered a crushing 7-1 defeat to Celtic, sending a strong message to their rivals.
Arsenal’s Commanding Victory Over PSG
Arsenal faced off against PSG in London, earning a decisive 2-0 win in the Champions League. The match was one of the highlights of the competition’s second round, and Arsenal’s performance did not disappoint.
Kai Havertz broke the deadlock in the 20th minute with a powerful header from Leandro Trossard’s cross. This early goal gave Arsenal the confidence they needed to dominate the match. Shortly before halftime, Bukayo Saka doubled Arsenal’s lead with a well-placed free kick. His delivery from the right wing sailed past everyone, including PSG’s goalkeeper, into the net.
PSG tried to respond but failed to break Arsenal’s defense. Nuno Mendes came close in the first half, striking the outside of the post, while Joao Neves hit the woodwork after the break. Despite their efforts, PSG couldn’t find the back of the net, and Arsenal secured their first Champions League win of the season.
Mikel Arteta praised his team’s performance after the match, stating, “I’m really happy with how we played. We handled the demands of the Champions League very well.”
Borussia Dortmund Crushes Celtic
Borussia Dortmund’s match against Celtic was a night of records and dominance. Dortmund, last season’s runners-up, thrashed Celtic 7-1, showing no mercy.
The German team was unstoppable from the start. Emre Can opened the scoring with a penalty before Celtic briefly equalized through Daizen Maeda. However, Dortmund quickly regained control. Karim Adeyemi was the star of the first half, scoring three goals to complete his hat-trick before halftime. By the time the teams headed to the locker rooms, Dortmund was leading 5-1.
Serhou Guirassy added a sixth goal from the penalty spot, and substitute Felix Nmecha scored the seventh late in the game. This impressive win marked Dortmund’s biggest victory in the Champions League, equaling their 6-0 win against Legia Warsaw in 2016.
After the match, Can commented, “There’s no perfect game, but this was close. We need to maintain this level moving forward.”
Barcelona and Manchester City Also Win
Elsewhere in the Champions League, Barcelona bounced back with a 5-0 win over Young Boys after their defeat against Monaco. Robert Lewandowski scored twice, leading Barcelona to victory, while Raphinha, Inigo Martinez, and an own goal from Mohamed Ali Camara completed the scoreline.
Raphinha expressed his satisfaction after the game, saying, “We knew we had to respond after the loss to Monaco, and we did that today.”
In Slovakia, reigning Champions League winners Manchester City comfortably beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0. Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, and James McAtee all contributed to the goal tally, continuing City’s strong start to the competition.
Inter Milan’s Impressive Win Over Red Star Belgrade
Inter Milan, who were Champions League finalists two seasons ago, showed their strength with a 4-0 victory against Red Star Belgrade. The Italian side dominated the match, with Hakan Calhanoglu scoring a beautiful free kick early in the first half.
Marko Arnautovic, Lautaro Martinez, and Mehdi Taremi added to the scoreline in the second half. Taremi’s goal came from a penalty after Martinez was fouled in the box. This result keeps Inter in the hunt for another deep run in the Champions League.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Narrow Win Against AC Milan
Bayer Leverkusen secured a narrow 1-0 win against AC Milan, thanks to an early second-half goal from Victor Boniface. The German side now has two wins from two matches in this year’s competition, putting them in a strong position for the knockout stages.
Brest Shocks Salzburg
Brest, the French newcomers in the Champions League, continued their impressive run with a surprising 4-0 victory away at Red Bull Salzburg. Senegalese striker Abdallah Sima, who is on loan from Brighton, scored twice, while Mahdi Camara and Mathias Pereira Lage also found the net.
This win sees Brest remain unbeaten in their debut Champions League season, having also beaten Sturm Graz 1-0 two weeks ago.
Other Results
In other matches, VfB Stuttgart and Sparta Prague played out a 1-1 draw, with Enzo Millot scoring for Stuttgart and Kaan Kairinen equalizing for the Czech side.
PSV Eindhoven and Sporting Lisbon also drew 1-1, with Jerdy Schouten’s opener for PSV canceled out by a late goal from Daniel Braganca for Sporting.
Conclusion
The second round of the Champions League group stage brought exciting results, with major teams asserting their dominance and others delivering shocking upsets. Arsenal’s victory over PSG sets them up for a promising run in the competition, while Borussia Dortmund’s destruction of Celtic serves as a warning to their rivals. With plenty of football still to play, the competition promises to deliver more thrilling moments. Stay updated with the latest from IPL365.
