Champions League round-up: PSG inspired by Zlatan Ibrahimovic double as Real Madrid march on

A look around the rest of Europe

Saul Brookfield
Thursday 03 October 2013 06:44 EDT
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as PSG beat Benfica
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as PSG beat Benfica (AP)

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasted little time in showing that Paris Saint-Germain will be serious contenders in the Champions League this season by having a hand in all three goals as they raced into a 3-0 lead against Benfica inside the first 30 minutes.

Ibrahimovic opened the scoring when he tapped in Gregory van der Wiel’s cross in the fifth minute before setting up Marquinhos for the second with a clever flick. A header from the Swede made the game safe as the home side coasted to victory.

Also in Group C, Anderlecht’s hopes already look over after they lost at home to Olympiakos 3-0, Greece striker Kostas Mitroglou getting a hat-trick for the visitors.

In Manchester City’s group, CSKA Moscow picked up their first points with an unconvincing 3-2 home win over Viktoria Plzen, the Czech side’s goalkeeper Matus Kozacik gifting them the winner by letting in a back pass.

Bayer Leverkusen snatched a dramatic victory in Manchester United’s group through midfielder Jens Hegeler’s 90th-minute winner against Real Sociedad. The former Arsenal striker Carlos Vela looked to have earned the Basque side a point with a 51st-minute equaliser, bundling the ball home after Bayer keeper Bernd Leno saved his penalty. However, Hegeler, on as a substitute, struck with a curling free-kick for the Germans.

Real Madrid, even without the injured Gareth Bale, made it 10 goals in two Champions League games with a 4-0 win over FC Copenhagen at the Bernabeu. Cristiano Ronaldo got the first two and Angel Di Maria also weighed in with a double.

Roberto Mancini in his first game as Galatasaray coach will have been delighted with their 2-2 draw at Juventus, Umut Bulut grabbing an equaliser with two minutes to go.

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