UCL last 16: PSG beat Man United, Roma thump Porto
No team has ever progressed having lost the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie at home by two or more goals.
Manchester United’s Champions League hopes were hanging by a thread after a 2-0 home defeat by Paris St Germain in their round-of-16, first leg match on Tuesday, with talisman Paul Pogba sent off late in the game.
Second half goals from Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe gave the impressive French side a clear advantage ahead of the return in Paris on March 6 and Pogba’s dismissal for a second yellow card in the 89th minute makes the task even harder.
“We’re happy, but it’s only halftime,” Mbappe said.
“In the last 20 minutes, we were hit by fatigue. We now have three weeks to make sure we’re ready to clinch our qualification,” he added.
United had never previously lost at home in European competition by a margin of more than one goal and history suggests their task in the second leg is extremely tough.
No team has ever progressed having lost the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie at home by two or more goals.
Roma v Porto
Teenage sensation Nicolo Zaniolo scored a quick-fire double to earn AS Roma a 2-1 win against Porto.
The 19-year-old continued his superb breakthrough season by finding the net twice in six second-half minutes to become the youngest Italian to score two goals in a Champions League match.
Porto substitute Adrian Lopez, however, quickly responded with what could prove to be a crucial away goal.
The result ended a five-match winning run in Europe for Porto, who will welcome Roma to the Estadio do Dragao for the second leg on March 6.
“It’s an incredible night, I am speechless and never would have expected such a thing,” Zaniolo said.
“However, we’ve got the second leg coming up, we shouldn’t have conceded the goal and we’ve got to think as a unit.
“We allowed Porto practically nothing, so we have to do the same in the second leg to qualify. I worked hard tonight, but I am very happy to do that for this team.”