Journalism of Courage
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored four times – including a breathtaking 25-metre half-volley that capped a 19-minute hat-trick – as Paris St Germain humbled Anderlecht 5-0 in their Champions League Group C match on Wednesday.
The Sweden international struck after 17,22 and 36 minutes – the eighth quickest treble in Champions League history – and added PSG’s fifth just past the hour to lead the French champions to victory at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium.
Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani was also on the scoresheet in the second half as Laurent Blanc’s team moved to nine points from three games,top of the group and within sight of the knockout stages.
Anderlecht are bottom after three consecutive defeats.
Aguero brace saves City
Sergio Agueros well-taken first-half double fired Manchester City to a 2-1 victory away at CSKA Moscow on Wednesday which left the Premier League side in a good position to reach the knockout stages for the first time.
Aguero struck twice late in the first half after Zoran Tosic had put CSKA ahead in the 32nd minute. The Argentine quickly levelled with a low strike from David Silvas cross and then headed Alvaro Negredos clever delivery past Igor Akinfeev. City wasted several chances to add to their lead after the break and almost paid the price in stoppage time when only a brilliant save from Joe Hart denied Keisuke Honda an equaliser
City moved on to six points from three games in Group D,level with Bayern Munich who host winless Viktoria Plzen in a later kickoff. CSKA are third on three points.
Wasteful United
Manchester United went top of Champions League Group A on Wednesday thanks to an early own goal by Real Sociedad’s Inigo Martinez that gave them a 1-0 home win to mask a host of missed opportunities.
Wayne Rooney did all the hard work to create the second-minute opener and watched as his shot crashed off the far post and into the path of Martinez who inexplicably directed the ball into his own net.
United,driven by the rejuvenated Rooney on the eve of his 28th birthday,then proceeded to spurn chance after chance to kill the game off and Sociedad hit the woodwork twice to keep Old Trafford nerves on edge until the final whistle.
Ronaldo double
Cristiano Ronaldo maintained his impressive form in the Champions League by scoring two goals to give Real Madrid a 2-1 win against 10-man Juventus on Wednesday.
The Portugal forward angled a shot behind goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to score in the fourth minute from a sublime pass by Angel Di Maria.
Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal then pulled down Sergio Ramos in the area and Ronaldo confidently converted the penalty in the 29th for his seventh Champions League goal this season.
Fernando Llorente had equalized for Juventus seven minutes earlier by squeezing the ball between goalkeeper Iker Casillas and the post in the 22nd. Llorente,a former Atheltic Bilbao player,has now scored six goals against Madrid,including three at the Santiago Bernabeu.
