• Sunday, 22 December 2024

Dortmund, PSG, Celtic and Sparta smile but stalemates elsewhere

Dortmund, PSG, Celtic and Sparta smile but stalemates elsewhere

Berlin, 19 September 2024 (dpa/MIA) - A Jamie Gittens double gave last season's runners-up Borussia Dortmund a 3-0 win at Club Brugge in the revamped Champions League on Wednesday, while Paris Saint Germain left it late to edge Girona 1-0.

English substitute Gittens cut inside on 76 minutes and his deflected effort looped into the net after the hosts had looked the better side. He secured the win on 86 before Serhou Guirassy's penalty.

"It was not a great performance but we have come away with a win. It is not easy to play here," Dortmund captain Emre Can told DAZN. "We have a very strong bench who can make an impact and give fresh impetus. Jamie did that."

In a repeat of the 2023 final won by the English side, Manchester City drew 0-0 at home to Inter.

Erling Haaland had chances for City, who saw Kevin De Bruyne go off injured, while Marcus Thurum went close for Inter. City substitutes Phil Foden and İlkay Gündoğan pushed for a winner to no avail.

Japanese duo Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda were among the scorers in Celtic's 5-1 win in Glasgow over Slovan Bratislava.

PSG, who have still not won the trophy despite huge investment, netted in stoppage time at home to debutants Girona when Nuno Mendes' deflected effort went through keeper Paulo Gazzaniga's legs.

In the early kick-offs, fellow debutants Bologna drew 0-0 in Italy with Shakhtar Donetsk and Sparta Prague beat Salzburg 3-0 at home thanks to Kaan Kairinen, Victor Olatunji and Qazim Laçi.

Sparta coach Lars Friis said: "I loved our goals. This is why we can compete like we did tonight. We love to spend time together, we have good players and good staff. We are all well-aligned."

Photo: EPA