PARIS — Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne saw Manchester City home against Sevilla in dramatic style in Wednesday’s Champions League action as Paris Saint-Germain held ten-time titleholder Real Madrid to a goalless draw.
De Bruyne’s injury time contribution earned City a 2-1 home win against Spain’s Europa League champion to improve its chances of escaping from Group D and into the last 16.
An open affair at the Etihad Stadium was heading for a draw after Adil Rami’s own goal canceled out Yevhen Konoplyanka’s 30th-minute opener for Sevilla, only for De Bruyne to gather a pass from Yaya Toure and slam home with his left foot seconds into stoppage time.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men moved up to second, one point behind Juventus, the Serie A giant held to a 0-0 stalemate by Borussia Moenchengladbach in Turin.
Manchester United, which hosts City in the Premier League Sunday, faced a tricky assignment away to CSKA Moscow, its French starlet Anthony Martial firmly leaving his imprint on the encounter.
The 19-year-old was called for handball which led to CSKA taking the lead on 15 minutes, Seydou Doumbia slamming in the rebound after United keeper David de Gea had parried Roman Eremenko’s penalty onto the post.
But the French teenager atoned for his mistake with a fine header after the hour for his first goal in the competition and fifth since his high profile move from Monaco in August.
Bundesliga side Wolfsburg topped the pool on six points after defeating PSV Eindhoven 2-0, with United and CSKA on four and the Dutch champion bringing up the rear on three.
Ronaldo, the Brazilian 2002 World Cup winner, was in the stands at Parc des Princes to watch the headline tie between PSG and Real.
But despite both clubs deploying their all-time top scorers the game ended goalless, Real legend Cristiano Ronaldo coming as close as anyone to breaking the deadlock in the French capital with a second-half volley that whistled wide.
Both sides remain unbeaten this season and are yet to concede after three games as they sit locked together on seven points at the top of Group A.
Malmo won 1-0 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk but Paris and Madrid are each four points clear of the Swedes and will have an opportunity to clinch qualification for the last 16 when they meet again in Spain in a fortnight.
In Group C, Diego Simeone’s 2014 runners-up Atletico Madrid eased past Astana 4-0 to get its European campaign back on track after a shock defeat to Benfica last time out.
Saul Niguez opened the scoring before Jackson Martinez scored his first goal at the Vicente Calderon for Atletico. Substitute Oliver Torres added a third after the break before Denis Dedchenko’s late own goal rounded off the scoring.
Galatasaray’s 2-1 win over Benfica in the other game in the group means Atletico draw level with Benfica at the top on six points, two points clear of the Turkish champions.
UEFA charges Man City
UEFA has opened a disciplinary case against Manchester City for fans booing the Champions League anthem.
The governing announced the charge Thursday for the “disruption of competition anthems” a day after City’s game against Sevilla.
The case will be heard by UEFA’s disciplinary body on Nov. 19.
City’s ownership and fans are aggrieved with UEFA over past sanctions for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
The anthem jeering also comes at a time when UEFA’s standing has been battered by allegations of wrongdoing involving senior officials.
Michel Platini can’t carry out his presidential role after being provisionally suspended by FIFA, pending the outcome of a full investigation into a payment. Senior vice president Angel Maria Villar is also waiting to discover if he’ll be found guilty of obstructing an investigation. — Agencies
