AC Milan edges past Paris Saint Germain 2-1

MILAN: AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud’s powerful header early in the second half secured a 2-1 Champions League Group F home victory over Paris St Germain on Tuesday for the first win in this season’s competition for the Italian side.

Former Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar had put PSG ahead but their advantage lasted only three minutes before Rafael Leao netted an acrobatic equaliser and Giroud then sealed a precious victory just after the break in front of 75,000 fans at the San Siro stadium.

Milan now has five points from four games in third behind second-placed PSG with six points.

Leaders Borussia Dortmund have seven points after winning 2-0 earlier on Tuesday at home to Newcastle United who are bottom on four points.

The match in San Siro was played at a frenetic tempo in the first half with end-to-end action and, while the pace inevitably slowed in the second period, it was an absorbing clash in which Milan had to hold on at the end as PSG piled on the pressure.

“It was a high-level match, we knew the difficulty of coming to play here, “PSG captain Marquinhos told media. The second goal changed the match because we weren’t good at that moment.”

“We knew it (qualification for the knockout stages) would be hard if we didn’t win today, but we must not give up. Everything remains in our hands.”

Milan won a Champions League game in which they had trailed for the first time since beating Real Madrid in 2009.

Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata have come through for Atletico Madrid again.

The red-hot duo scored two goals each in a 6-0 rout of 10-man Celtic on Tuesday, leaving Atletico top of Group E in the Champions League.

It was Atletico’s biggest win in a UEFA club competition since its first-ever European match, when it beat Irish team Drumcondra 8-0 in the first leg of the preliminary round of the European Cup in 1958.

The home victory left Atletico with eight points from four matches, one point ahead of Lazio and two in front of Feyenoord. Winless Celtic stayed last with one point.

“It will be a fight until the end, it will be tough,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “The group is very tight.”

Celtic, seeking its first win in the group stage of the Champions League since 2017, played a man down after forward Daizen Maeda was sent off with a straight red card for a hard foul in the 23rd minute. The Japan international was initially shown a yellow card but video review determined he deserved a red.

“The red card gave us a good advantage, it made things easier for us,” said Griezmann, who got a standing ovation when he was substituted in the second half. “We have to keep this momentum going and keep improving.”

Griezmann and Morata had scored a goal each in the teams’ 2-2 draw in Scotland in the previous round of matches. They have combined for 19 goals in the last 10 Atletico matches in all competitions.

Griezmann has 11 goals this season, seven in the Spanish league and four in the Champions League. Morata has 12 goals — seven in the league and five in the Champions League, the most by any player in the competition so far. The Spain striker has scored five goals in his last four matches with Atletico in all competitions.

Griezmann opened the scoring six minutes into the match at Metropolitano stadium, firing a low left-footed shot from just outside the area.

Morata added the second in first-half stoppage time from close range in a build-up that started with a long cross by Griezmann, who scored the third with a volley from near the penalty spot in the 60th.

Samuel Lino added to the lead in the 66th, two minutes after coming off the bench, with a curling right-footed strike into the far corner. And 10 minutes later he set up Morata with a pass with his chest for the striker’s goal with a shot from outside the area.

Saúl Ñíguez closed the scoring from close range in the 84th.

Celtic next visits Lazio, while Atletico is at Feyenoord.