Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller (centre) shoots to score his team’s second goal during their Champions League match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northern England, yesterday.
Manchester: Bayern Munich thumped hosts Manchester City 3-1 in their Champions League Group D encounter yesterday as the holders taught the English side they still have a lot to learn if they are to achieve continental success.
Pep Guardiola’s side got off to the perfect start with Franck Ribery’s seventh-minute opener from a straightforward long-range shot that City keeper Joe Hart inexplicably failed to keep out and the German champions never looked back.
Thomas Mueller rounded Hart to double their lead 11 minutes into the second half, while Arjen Robben beat the floundering England keeper at his near post for the third on the hour.
City substitute Alvaro Negredo pulled one back for the hosts in the 80th minute and Bayern’s Jerome Boateng was shown a red card four minutes from time, with David Silva hitting the bar from the resulting free kick but it was too little too late as Bayern took charge of Group D with a maximum six points from two games.
A Zlatan Ibrahimovic double inspired a brilliant Paris St Germain to a 3-0 home win against Benfica
Ibrahimovic, who scored in the fifth and 30th minutes, also initiated the second goal with a clever back heel as PSG stayed top of Group C with a maximum six points from two matches.
Ibrahimovic opened the scoring when he tapped in from Gregory van der Wiel’s cross and Marquinhos doubled the tally in the 25th also from close range before the Sweden striker headed home the third to wrap it up.
Olympiakos are second in the group after beating bottom of the table Anderlecht 3-0, with Benfica in third place on three points.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice with his head and Angel Di Maria also grabbed a double as Real Madrid maintained their winning start in Champions League Group B with a thumping 4-0 victory over FC Copenhagen.
Portugal forward Ronaldo followed up his hat-trick in the opening 6-1 drubbing of Galatasaray with another sparkling display and Di Maria also turned in a fine performance in the absence of injured world record signing Gareth Bale.
Ronaldo’s first goal came in the 21st minute when goalkeeper Johan Wiland failed to deal with Marcelo’s floated cross and he nodded in from a tight angle.
Copenhagen’s resistance was effectively ended when Ronaldo powered home a Di Maria centre in the 65th minute.
The Argentine winger netted a fine curling effort six minutes later and another in the first minute of stoppage time as Real secured a maximum six points from their opening two matches.
Manchester United were forced to hold on at Shakhtar Donetsk but managed to grab a 1-1 draw in their Champions League Group A match.
United, missing the injured Wayne Rooney but with Robin van Persie back in attack, went ahead when Marouane Fellaini pulled the ball back for Danny Welbeck to stab home from close range after defender Jaroslav Rakitskiy failed to clear.
But Rakitskiy made amends when his forceful run and cross on the left was only half cleared by Nemanja Vidic and Taison scored. AGENCIES
