PSG piles more woe on scandal-hit Man City in Champions League, Real Madrid leaves it late in Rome

Paris Saint-Germain piled more misery upon scandal-hit Manchester City and Real Madrid hit three late goals to stun Roma as the Champions League set a scoring record on Wednesday.

There were a total of 78 goals scored during Matchday 2 of the competition — played over Tuesday and Wednesday — beating the previous record of 71 from Matchday 3 last season. That included at least five goals in six of Wednesday’s nine matches, with Liverpool’s 6-3 win at Austrian champion LASK leading the way.

PSG, the two-time defending champion, produced an impervious first-half performance in a 4-2 win in Manchester with three early goals to leave the home fans – including former City coach Pep Guardiola – stunned at the break.

Désiré Doué fired in the opener in the 13th, then provided a brilliant lobbed cross for Ousmane Dembélé to get the second within two minutes after that.

PSG fans celebrated with their backs turned — emulating City supporters’ trademark celebration — after Vitinha got the third in the 32nd, and the home fans appeared to be in shock. The players’ shouts could be heard for the rest of the first half as the stadium was silenced.

PSG piles more woe on scandal-hit Man City in Champions League, Real Madrid leaves it late in Rome | iNFOnews.ca
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland reacts after PSG’s Maghnes Akliouche scoree their fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Erling Haaland provided some reason to cheer by heading in City’s response in the 53rd, prompting Guardiola to celebrate, but Maghnes Akliouche stopped the home team’s momentum with PSG’s fourth 10 minutes later.

Haaland’s second goal in the 75th gave City hope again. It was the Norway star’s 61st goal on his 60th appearance in the competition.

Ferran Torres’ penalty should have sealed it in stoppage time for PSG, but Gianluigi Donnarumma stopped the poorly taken spot kick.

It was City’s first European game since being charged with financial rule-breaking over nearly a decade in the Premier League.

Rüdiger saves Madrid

PSG piles more woe on scandal-hit Man City in Champions League, Real Madrid leaves it late in Rome | iNFOnews.ca
Manchester City’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, left, reacts after PSG’s Maghnes Akliouche scored their fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Antonio Rüdiger was Real Madrid’s unlikely hero on his return to Roma with a last-minute winner for a 4-3 victory.

The home fans paid tribute to returning coach José Mourinho, then celebrated wildly as their team took a 3-1 lead.

Marten de Roon scored Roma’s opener with a well-struck effort from distance in the 20th, before Kylian Mbappé equalized with a deflected shot in the 25th on his 100th appearance in the competition. At 27, he’s the youngest player to reach the 100 mark.

Donyell Malen answered twice – restoring Roma’s lead in the 51st and getting his second six minutes later.

But Madrid substitutes Carlos Espí and Endrick scored within three minutes from the 85th to tie the game, then Rüdiger scored from close range after a corner.

PSG piles more woe on scandal-hit Man City in Champions League, Real Madrid leaves it late in Rome | iNFOnews.ca
PSG’s Maghnes Akliouche celebrates after scoring his side’s fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

The German veteran kept his celebrations in check after spending two seasons at Roma from 2015-17.

Betis outshoots Porto

Isco scored the winner and Abde Ezzalzouli netted a contender for goal of the day as Real Betis defeated Porto 3-2 in a bad-tempered game in Seville.

Ezzalzouli struck the ball from the corner of the penalty area inside the top corner at the far post after the break.

Gabriel Veiga equalized with a fine free kick in the 55th and set off a kerfuffle between rival players with his celebration. Three players were booked.

PSG piles more woe on scandal-hit Man City in Champions League, Real Madrid leaves it late in Rome | iNFOnews.ca
Real Madrid’s Endrick celebrates with his teammate Arda Guler after scoring his side’s third gola during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Roma and Real Madrid, in Rome, Wednesday, Oct.14, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Porto substitute Samu – a Spanish international – scored just two minutes after coming on, only for Cucho Hernández – another substitute – to equalize in the 74th.

Isco got the winner late with a penalty.

Barcola hat trick for Liverpool

Bradley Barcola scored a hat trick as Liverpool coasted to a 6-3 win at Austria’s LASK earlier.

They were his first goals for the club since joining from PSG in the offseason.

Ronald Araújo also got his first Liverpool goal as he broke the deadlock with a header from a corner, less than two minutes before Barcola scored in the 24th from a lay-off by Lewis Koumas.

Ryan Gravenberch struck the post before Barcola got his second in the 37th, finishing with aplomb after being played through by Florian Wirtz.

Jeremie Frimpong, one of the smallest players on the field, headed Liverpool’s fourth in off the right post in the 51st.

Robert Ljubičić pulled a goal back in the 63rd, a minute after going on as a substitute, before Frimpong gave Barcola a simple tap-in to complete his hat trick in the 66th.

Koumas was left free to get Liverpool’s sixth six minutes later – it was the 21-year-old forward’s first Liverpool goal.

But Florian Flecker – another LASK substitute – got the biggest cheer when he scored his team’s second with a diving header in the 74th, four minutes before he got another to complete the scoring.

Other results

Nicolas Jackson and Ross Barkley both scored twice in a 6-0 rout for Aston Villa over Fenerbahçe.

Switzerland winger Johan Manzambi opened the scoring, on his first Champions League appearance, on his 21st birthday. Tammy Abraham completed Villa’s biggest ever European win.

Fredrik Sjøvold’s second-half strike was enough for Bodø/Glimt to upset Borussia Dortmund 1-0, Stuttgart won 3-0 at Slovan Bratislava, and Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk recovered to beat AEK Athens 3-1 in a “home” game at Chelsea’s ground in London.

Earlier, Anis Hadj Moussa scored twice as Dutch leader Feyenoord came from behind to beat visiting Como 3-2.

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