Champions League: PSG’s front three score in 4-0 thrashing of Anderlecht

Paris Saint-Germain’s front three of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani all scored as the French side romped to a third straight Champions League win by thrashing Anderlecht 4-0 in Brussels on Wednesday.

Mbappe put PSG ahead inside three minutes and Cavani grabbed his fourth goal in three Champions League outings before half-time.

Neymar scored a free-kick midway through the second period with his ninth goal for the club since his record-breaking move from Barcelona, before Angel Di Maria came off the bench to complete the rout.

Swiss prosecutors opened a corruption probe into PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi last week over the sale of World Cup media rights, but the Qatari was in attendance in Belgium to watch his expensively-assembled side cruise to victory.

The French Ligue 1 leaders are now three points clear of Bayern Munich, who saw off Celtic 3-0 in Germany, at the top of Group B ahead of the home match against bottom side Anderlecht on October 31.

“In the first period it wasn’t perfect with the level of control of the match,” said PSG coach Unai Emery.

“We were sometimes surprised on the counter-attack, but in the second half we found a better balance.

“The match started very well with that goal in the third minute. But then, for a moment, we lost track. We know there will be no easy games this season.”

Spaniard Emery made four changes to the side that stumbled to a 2-1 Ligue 1 win at Dijon on Saturday, with Cavani and Marco Verratti returning to the starting line-up.

PSG scored eight goals in the opening two wins against Celtic and Bayern Munich, and they didn’t waste any time in breaking the deadlock on Wednesday.

Close-season signing Mbappe found space inside the area before drilling home his second Champions League goal for the club through goalkeeper Matz Sels’ legs from a tight angle.

Anderlecht, bottom of the group after a disappointing 3-0 home defeat by Celtic last time out, grew into the game though as midfielder Sven Kums shot wide.

Paris retained a serious threat going forward to keep their hosts honest, but Neymar and Cavani both missed half-chances.

The away side found a second goal shortly before the interval, with the feted attacking trio of Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani all involved.

World-record signing Neymar’s powerful strike from distance was well saved by Sels, but 18-year-old Mbappe headed the rebound back across goal for Cavani to nod in his 12th goal of the season.

Anderlecht were tidy in possession without ever getting in behind the PSG defence, and they were hit on the counter-attack again early in the second half, only for Cavani to rattle the crossbar.

The Uruguayan could have had a hatful of goals as he had two efforts disallowed for offside and also produced a tame chip into the legs of Sels with only the ‘keeper to beat before Mbappe blazed the loose ball over a gaping goal.

Neymar ensured that all three of PSG’s forwards scored for the second Champions League away match in a row, as the Brazilian rolled a clever free-kick under the wall and into the bottom corner from just outside the box.

Anderlecht went close to a consolation goal as Henry Onyekuru hit the woodwork, but Hein Vanhaezebrouck’s men remained pointless and goalless.

Argentinian Di Maria raced clear before dinking in to complete the scoring, as PSG reached the halfway stage of the group having scored 12 goals without reply.

Heynckes’ return revitalizes Bayern

Jupp Heynckes enjoyed a successful Champions League return on Wednesday as Bayern Munich got their Group B campaign back on track with a 3-0 home win against Celtic.

Bayern captain Thomas Mueller put the hosts ahead after 17 minutes before Germany defender Joshua Kimmich made it two with a header just before the half-hour mark.

Mats Hummels – who insisted Bayern cannot currently consider themselves amongst Europe’s top teams in an pre-match interview – completed the win with a header just after the break.

The result leaves Bayern second in the group on six points, three behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain and three clear of third-placed Celtic.

“FC Bayern wants to qualify for the knock-out phase, so it was important for us to get the win,” said Heynckes.

“The team did well, even if we didn’t convert all our chances.”

It had been 1,608 days since Heynckes last took charge of Bayern in Europe when they beat Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 Champions League final.

The 72-year-old came out of a four-year retirement for his fourth stint as Bayern coach after Carlo Ancelotti was sacked in the wake of Bayern’s 3-0 drubbing at PSG three weeks ago.

Following Saturday’s 5-0 thumping of Freiburg, Bayern have now scored eight goals without reply in Heynckes’ first two games.

“The attitude was better, we were motivated after the win at Freiburg and wanted to use the momentum,” said Mueller.

“That was an important three points.

“We created a lot of chances in the second half which we should have used.”

Mueller back on form

Heynckes started four of the team - David Alaba, Jerome Boateng, Mueller and Arjen Robben - which won the Wembley final four years ago.

He also made a good start to solving the problem which perplexed predecessor Ancelotti of where to play Mueller.

The Germany star was restored to the attacking midfield role, happily roaming just behind Robert Lewandowski, with Thiago Alcantara dropping into defensive midfield.

Key Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic was missing with a hamstring injury, so coach Brendan Rodgers partnered Mikael Lustig with Dedryck Boyata at centre-back.

Captain Scott Brown and former Dundee United midfielder Stuart Armstrong also returned from injury.

Bayern ran riot in the opening six minutes with Lewandowski a constant menace in front of a sell-out 72,000 crowd.

Thiago had a goal disallowed, incorrectly as replays showed the ball had not gone out of play in the build-up, before Lewandowski had a penalty appeal waved away.

Alaba sent a clear chance flying over the bar with 13 minutes gone.

Celtic’s defence finally broke on 17 minutes when Lewandowski’s header was saved by goalkeeper Craig Gordon, but Mueller smashed home the rebound.

Kimmich grabbed the second with a pin-point header on 29 minutes from Kingsley Coman’s floated cross.

It was 2-0 at the break, but Hummels headed Bayern’s third goal from the resulting corner after Robben fired over on 52 minutes.

“I was disappointed with the nature of the goals, but there were positives,” said Celtic boss Rodgers.

“There was no denying we played against a top-class side and we didn’t defend our box well enough when the crosses came in.”

Robben, who made his 100th Champions League appearance spanning 16 seasons, had a bullet header cleared off the line with half an hour to go.

“That is a step forwards,” said the Dutch winger.

“We want to improve. Not everything is perfect yet, but we are on the right path.”

Lewandowski put the ball in the net shortly afterwards, but the goal was chalked off for offside, as Bayern kept the pressure up.

Celtic improved for the final 20 minutes as winger Scott Sinclair also had a goal disallowed for offside just before the final whistle.