Matuidi strike settles classic in French capital

Messi and Neymar both got on the scoresheet but the French champions emerged victorious after David Luiz and Marco Verratti also scored

Agencies Paris, October 1 A goal from Blaise Matuidi was ultimately enough for Paris Saint-Germain as they beat Barcelona 3-2 in a Champions League thriller on Tuesday. The Ligue 1 champions were without talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as well as Thiago Silva and Ezequiel Lavezzi, but held off late Barca pressure to end the visitors' unbeaten start to the campaign and dampen an historic occasion for midfielder Xavi. Coming off the bench to make a record 143rd appearance in the Champions League proper, the former Spain international was on the losing side after defender David Luiz - a target for the Spanish giants in the close-season - showed his quality in the final third with a smart turn and finish to give PSG what proved to be a short-lived lead after 10 minutes. Lionel Messi was the man to restore parity less than two minutes later in the Group F clash as he swept home Barca's 500th Champions League goal, although PSG were ahead again shortly before the half-hour mark. After Marc-Andre ter Stegen failed to collect a deep corner, Marco Verratti headed home his first PSG goal, with Blaise Matuidi making it 3-1 early in the second half. While Neymar's smart finish from inside the area gave Barca hope, PSG had not lost at home in Europe since November 2006 - a record they maintained with some stoic late defending. When Sergio Busquets lost possession cheaply early on, former Barca man Thiago Motta blazed PSG's first attempt over the crossbar as the hosts began brightly. That lively opening was rewarded when Luiz brought down Lucas Moura's free kick and rolled the ball past Ter Stegen as Barca conceded the first competitive goal of Luis Enrique's tenure. PSG's joy was brief, however, as Messi capped off a slick exchange with Andres Iniesta to level and end his run of three Champions League games without a goal - the Argentina star's longest goalless sequence since May 2009. Edinson Cavani was next to go close - the Uruguayan firing over from distance after bamboozling Jeremy Mathieu - before Neymar could only prod Messi's expertly dinked throughball over the crossbar. Verratti then took advantage of some questionable goalkeeping from Ter Stegen, heading in Motta's looping corner after 26 minutes. While Messi came close with a curled free kick, PSG maintained their lead until the break and Cavani threatened soon after the interval as he cut inside Jeremy Mathieu and into a shooting position, only to slip at the vital moment. PSG's pressure eventually brought a third goal after 54 minutes when Matuidi swept home Gregory van der Wiel's delivery from the right, although, as in the first half, Barca hit back soon after. Neymar controlled Dani Alves' delivery on his chest and delicately placed the ball past Salvatore Sirigu before Xavi came on to make Champions League history. Iniesta - making his 100th appearance in the competition - fired over late on and Marquinhos then blocked Jordi Alba's goalbound effort. Substitute Munir El Haddadi struck the post with a fierce drive, but Barca's search for a point proved in vain as the home side picked up their first win in Europe this term.

Matic silences boo boys as Chelsea win

AFP LISBON, October 1 Jose Mourinho enjoyed a happy return to his native city of Lisbon on Tuesday as Chelsea defeated Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in Champions League Group G action at the Estadio Jose Alvalade. The victory takes Chelsea top of the group on four points after Schalke 04 and MK Maribor drew 1-1 in Germany to leave them on two points apiece and Sporting bottom with one point. The defeat for Sporting ended their 16 match unbeaten record at home in European competition. The 51-year-old Mourinho endured a frustrating evening as his side dominated proceedings but wasted a hatful of chances before hanging on against a resurgent second half Sporting side who came close on several occasions to salvaging a point. Chelsea got the breakthrough their first half dominance deserved, and the only goal of the match from a set-piece on 34 minutes. A far post cross from the left flank by Eden Hazard was met by a Serbia’s Nemanja Matic and his looping header drifted over the head of Sporting captain Rui Patricio and into the back of the net. Chelsea captain John Terry who turned in a solid performance in the centre of defence and was making his 100th Champions League appearance said his side should have wrapped it up sooner. For Matic, it was his second career Champions League goal in a country he knows well having played for Sporting’s city rivals Benfica, for three seasons before rejoining Chelsea in 2013. Mourinho, who enjoyed an early spell in his career as an assistant coach to Bobby Robson at Sporting between 1992 and 1993, gradually lost his composed demeanour on the sidelines as the match grew into a nailbiting affair. Diego Costa broke the offside trap as early as the second minute and was clean through on goal from 30 yards but his low shot was deflected behind by Patricio. Sporting came out after the break with more venom and came closest to their first goal of the match on 55 minutes when former Manchester United winger Nani spurned a close range chance with just Chelsea ‘keeper Thibault Courtois to beat. Algerian Islam Slimani also threatened with a header from point blank range but Courtois was again well positioned to make the save. Egyptian international Mohamed Salah had a chance to put the result beyond doubt in injury time when Chelsea again breached the Sporting back four but the excellent Patricio blocked again in a man-of-the-match performance for the home side. Chelsea’s next match is at home against Maribor while Sporting travel to Schalke on October 21.

Totti breaks Ryan Giggs’ record

Agencies Rome, October 1 Francesco Totti became the oldest scorer in the Champions League to help Roma earn a merited point in a 1-1 draw at Manchester City in Group E. Totti cancelled out Sergio Aguero’s opener from the penalty spot on four minutes when he lifted the ball calmly over Joe Hart after bounding onto a delightful pass from Radja Nainggolan on 22 minutes. Having turned 38 on Saturday, the Roma icon overtakes Giggs, who scored for Manchester United In Europe’s elite competition aged 37 years and 289 days. Roma benefited from a slice of good fortune when Maicon avoided being sent off after hauling back Aguero for the concession of the penalty. He was clearly the last man, and should have been red carded by the letter of the law. Roma made the most of retaining 11 men as they carried the game to City throughout the evening, and could easily have departed England with three points in their locker. It is a huge draw for Roma, who have four points from their two matches leaving City up against it to qualify for the last 16 with only one point from their opening two games in a section that also contains Bayern Munich and CSKA Moscow.