Sports

Montpellier holds PSG to 0-0

September 23, 2017
Paris Saint-Germain's defenders Thiago Silva (L) and Marquinhos react during their French Ligue 1 football match against Montpellier at the Stade de la Mosson Stadium in Montpellier, southern France, Saturday. — AFP
Paris Saint-Germain's defenders Thiago Silva (L) and Marquinhos react during their French Ligue 1 football match against Montpellier at the Stade de la Mosson Stadium in Montpellier, southern France, Saturday. — AFP

PARIS — Montpellier put on a spirited and gritty display to hold Paris Saint-Germain to a goalless draw as the French league leader dropped its first points of the season Saturday.

PSG, which won its previous six league matches but met Montpellier without the injured Neymar, was uninspired throughout and saw its lead over defending champion Monaco cut to just one point. Monaco thrashed Lille 4-0 Friday.

"We came here to win ahead of Bayern's visit, it was very important," said PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, referring to Bayern Munich's trip to Paris in the Champions League next week. "We need to forget this game."

Montpellier's defensive strategy worked well throughout the match and prevented PSG from creating chances.

The hosts played aggressively and were able to launch fast counterattacks. PSG's three-man midfield of Marco Verratti, Adrien Rabiot and Thiago Motta often looked clueless and static.

In the absence of Neymar, who was ruled out with a minor toe injury but is expected to play against Bayern, Kylian Mbappe was the most dangerous PSG player.

Hoffenheim's Nagelsmann wins battle of youngest coaches

In a duel between the youngest ever Bundesliga coaches, 30-year-old Julian Nagelsmann's Hoffenheim defeated 32-year-old Domenico Tedesco's Schalke 2-0 Saturday.

Both earned their coaching badges together, though Nagelsmann got a head start in February 2016 when he was appointed in place of the ailing Huub Stevens with Hoffenheim in relegation trouble. Nagelsmann saved the team in his first season and led it to the Champions League playoffs in the next.

Schalke fans hope Tedesco, who took over in the offseason after just 11 games in charge of second-tier Erzgebirge Aue, can match his former classmate's feats.

Dennis Geiger's first Bundesliga goal gave Hoffenheim an early lead, but the visitors improved as the game progressed and might have equalized after the break when Yevhen Konoplyanka struck the crossbar.

Konoplyanka was just wide before Mark Uth struck the post at the other end.

Uth thought he'd sealed it late but the goal was ruled out for offside, keeping Schalke in the game until Uth launched the ball forward for Lukas Rupp to score in the third minute of injury time.

Nagelsmann's side remains one of three unbeaten teams in the Bundesliga.

Leipzig warmed up for its Champions League game at Besiktas with a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Suspended Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita watched his side in an eye-catching dinner jacket with a red top hat.

Pablo De Blasis's penalty was enough for Mainz to beat visiting Hertha Berlin 1-0. Werder Bremen drew 0-0 against Freiburg, and Stuttgart was also held to a homeless draw against Augsburg. — Agencies


September 23, 2017
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