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The talent of Messi, Mbappé and Neymar is enough for the French team to beat Maccabi Haifa 1-3
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The team was dominated for an hour by one of the most modest rivals in the Champions League
No rival is easy in the Champions League. This soccer topic was fulfilled this Wednesday night at the Samy Hofer stadium in Haifa, Israel. The Paris Saint-Germain of Messi, Neymar and Mbappé had to bite the dust to prevail against Maccabi Haifa (1-3). Although the French team counts their games in Europe by victories and their trident continues to make the difference —they scored all three—, their coach Christophe Galtier still has a lot of work to do if he wants to break the European jinx of his team. PSG added three points, but multiplied the football doubts.
From the first moments of the match, Maccabi’s defense suffered against Mbappé’s speed. Bondy’s striker almost opened the scoring in minute 1 after a drive down the left, but he sent his shot into the clouds. He failed his definition again ten minutes later in another face-to-face with the goalkeeper. PSG generated danger easily, but the Maccabi did not entrench and was brave. To the point that the modest Israeli champion took the lead halfway through the first half with a volley from the Dutch striker Chery in one of his numerous arrivals by the band.
Messi, decisive
Maccabi’s goal accentuated the script of the match. Was a constant back and forth. In this type of scenario, it is unlikely that a team with a diabolical trident like PSG’s will be left without wet. Although the Parisians looked just as thick as Israeli hummus, Messi leveled the score by collecting a rebound inside the area after a cross from Mbappé.
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Going through the locker room did not change the tone of the meeting. It was a gloomy night for the Qatar-owned side. In several phases it was dominated by a team considered one of the Cinderellas of this Champions League. Only Messi excelled in the midst of the surprising monotony of his teammates and touched the second with a left foot in the 65th minute. A few minutes later, a magnificent deep ball from the Argentine star left Mbappé alone in front of the goalkeeper, who did not forgive.
PSG’s second was an excessive blow for the Israelis. In the end the punch prevailed and Neymar scored the third. The French thus put their classification on track in a group H in which the Juventus (zero points out of six) will suffer beautifully and Benfica aspires to send a great to the Europa League, as it did last season with Barça.