Staff Reporter.
RB Leipzig beat Manchester City 2-1 in their final Champions League Group A match at the Red Bull Arena, after goals from Dominik Szoboszlaii and Andre Silva.
Pep Guardiola’s side had already qualified for the round of 16 as group winners, while this was Leipzig’s first match since the dismissal of Jesse Marsch. The result puts the German side third in the group, and earns them a place in the Europa League.
A first-half goal from Szoboszlai opened the scoring for Leipzig, before Silva doubled their lead in the 70th minute, drilling the ball in the net following a cross from Emil Forsberg.
Riyad Mahrez got one back for City in the 75th minute, nodding in an Oleksandr Zinchenko cross to keep the side in the game. However, a straight red card for Kyle Walker in the 82nd minute left Guardiola’s side to see out the rest of the game with 10 men.
Szoboszlai opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. An outside-of-the-foot pass from Konrad Laimer saw him go clear, allowing him to easily slot the ball in the net after going round goalkeeper Zack Steffen.
The home side were unlucky to not double their lead just three minutes later, after another accurate pass from Laimer found Forsberg, but his first time shot was covered well by Steffen.
City had a chance to draw level late in the half through Phil Foden, however, his long range attempt was tipped onto the post by Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.
Guardiola’s side continued to struggle after the break, making uncharacteristic errors in the final third and lacking the cohesion that has been seen in recent games.
Silva added to their frustration in the 70th minute, doubling the home side’s lead following a composed pass from midfielder Forsberg but Mahrez closed the gap just six minutes later, scoring his fifth goal in the competition this term.
However, Walker sealed his side’s fate with seven minutes to go, with referee Sandro Scharer showing him a straight red after fouling Silva from behind.
Meanwhile Kylian Mbappe became the youngest player to reach 30 Champions League goals as Paris St-Germain rounded off Group A with a win over Club Bruges.
The hosts were already guaranteed to qualify for the knockout stage in second place, behind Manchester City, while defeat sees Bruges finish bottom.
Mbappe all but put the game to bed inside seven minutes, scoring twice in quick succession for the home side.
Lionel Messi also scored twice either side of a Bruges consolation.
Mats Rits beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma with a slotted finish for the visitors, who created several good chances
Mbappe’s first came after 72 seconds, firing into the bottom corner when goalkeeper Simon Mignolet palmed a cross into his path, before the France forward volleyed in from Angel di Maria’s clipped pass soon after.
That took him to 31 goals in Europe’s elite competition, passing the 30-goal landmark at the age of 22 years and 352 days to surpass Messi, who was 23 years and 131 days when he reached that target.
Mbappe then set up the man whose record he had just broken, though PSG’s third was a classic Messi dribble and finish.
The 34-year-old scampered to the edge of the Bruges box, shifted the ball on to his left foot and curled into the corner to score against a 38th different side in the competition, a joint-record alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi grabbed his second after Rits had responded for the Belgian side, slotting in from the spot after he was fouled for his fifth Champions League goal this season and 125th in total.