Both teams undefeated, both teams dominant in their national championships and both teams with two wins in the Champions League clashed tonight in Lisbon and they denied one another: Benfica – PSG 1-1. As expected, it was a great game with lots for tempo, chances, goals and brilliant saves, particularly from PSG keeper Donnarumma who saved it’s team from defeat tonight.11 – Paris have conceded at least one goal in each of their last 11 away games in the Champions League/European Cup, the longest streak in their history in the competition. Turbulence. #BENPSG pic.twitter.com/mJrNih7L9k— OptaJean (@OptaJean) October 5, 2022 Benfica is playing beautifully this season under new coach Roger Schmidt and they showed it in this game too, but throughout this clash, the guests were superior in possession and tempo. Neymar had a great chance, Mbappe was denied by the home keeper twice, Messi scored a brilliant goal, but it was the Italian national team keeper which saved the day for the guests with two great stops when the score was 0-0 and another great save just 10 minutes before the end, when the score was 1-1.Benfica started the match with no fear and pressed the guests from the first minute. Out of that pressure came a first big chance for the hosts, but Goncalo Ramos’s excellent strike was brilliantly saved by Donnarumma in the 8th minute. David Neres had equally good chance minutes later, but PSG keeper was again unbeatable. It was a prelude for PSG goal, which came in the 22nd minute, and it was a joy for all Parisians. Lionel Messi started the action with a pass to Mbappe, who passed to ball to Neymar (yes, to Neymar!) and the Brazilian got the ball back to the Argentinian, who netted the ball beautifully from the edge of the penalty area: 1-0 for PSG. The leading goal totally destroyed the hosts’ confidence and they didn’t recover until 38th minute, when they again had a huge chance, but were again denied by Donnarumma. But, PSG was not so lucky minutes later, when Enzo Fernandez made a great cross and the ball passed everybody along the way, but touched Danilo just enough to get into the net: 1-1.PSG totally dominated in the second half and had two huge chances, a bicycle kick by Neymar which ended at the crossbar and Mbappe’s brilliant volley which was saved by home keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos. Benfica just couldn’t cope with the deadly trio in attack, supported by Vitinha and Veratti in the middle, but when Rafa Silva suddenly came in front of Donnarumma, the Italian again saved his team from a defeat in the 80th minute. A minute later, Lionel Messi was subbed and the cameras were on coach Galtier, who explained his decision to a surprising Argentinian. The nets were not moved until the very end, but both teams are meeting again in just 6 days, this time in Paris for the ultimate fight for the first place in the group.
In the battle for the third place and a chance to play in the Europa League after the World Cup, Juventus proved their favorites role and won against Maccabi Haifa 3-1, but the results doesn’t mean it was so easy. Juve did have a comfortable lead until the 75th minute, when the visitors scored for 2-1 and uneasy minutes followed in Turin. Maccabi nearly equalized before Rabiot scored his second goal of the match in the 83rd minute and ended all dilemmas. In a strange move, coach Allegri took out the scorer Vlahovic, along with Cuadrado and Kostic thinking that the job was done, only to see visitors scoring after a quick counter attack 15 minutes from time. All is not lost in Juve’s fight for a second place in the group, but with PSG and Benfica in a form like this, the Italians don’t have a chance.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUEGroup stage, matchday 3TuesdayBayern Munich – Plzen 5-0 (3-0)/Sane 7,50, Gnabry 13, Mane 21, Choupo-Moting 59/Marseille – Sporting 4-1 (3-1)/Sanchez 13, Harit 16, Balerdi 28, Mbemba 84 – Trincao 1/Ajax – Napoli 1-6 (1-3)/Kudus 9 – Raspadori 18,47, Di Lorenzo 33, Zielinski 45, Khvicha 63, Simeone 81/Liverpool – Rangers 2-0 (1-0)/Trent Alexander-Arnold 7, Salah 53/Club Brugge – Atl. Madrid 2-0 (1-0)/Sowah 36, Jutgla 62/Porto – Leverkusen 2-0 (0-0)/Sanusi 69, Galeno 86/Inter – Barcelona 1-0 (1-0)/Calhanoglu 45+2/Eintracht Frankfurt – Tottenham 0-0WednesdaySalzburg – Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 (0-0)/Okafor 71 pen/RB Leipzig – Celtic 3-1 (1-0)/Nkunku 27, Silva 64, 77 – Jota 47/Chelsea – Milan 3-0 (1-0)/Fofana 24, Aubameyang, James/Real Madrid – Shakhtar 2-1 (2-1)/Rodrygo 13, Vinicius Jr 28 – Zubkov 39/Man.City – Copenhagen 5-0 (3-0)/Haaland 7, 32, Khocholava 39 og, Mahrez 55pen, Alvarez 76/Sevilla – Dortmund 1-4 (0-3)/En Nesyri 51 – Guerreiro 6, Bellingham 41, Adeyemi 43, Brandt 75/Benfica – PSG 1-1 (1-1)/Danilo 41 og – Messi 22/Juventus – Maccabi Haifa 3-1 (2-1)/Rabiot 35, 83, Vlahovic 50 – David 75/