PARIS: Manchester City made a sluggish start to their Champions League campaign as they drew 0-0 against Inter Milan on Wednesday, while Paris St Germain needed a last-minute goal to beat tournament newcomers Girona.

Pep Guardiola’s side have won all four of their Premier League games this season but failed to break down Italian champions Inter in a repeat of the 2023 final won by City.

City lost Kevin De Bruyne to injury at half-time and Phil Foden fired straight at Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer with their best chance as Erling Haaland was kept quiet on a night he was chasing his 100th goal for the English club.

“It was a very intense game against a strong opponent. We knew what was coming, they are a top team as well and they are used to winning, so we were not going to have an easy job,” City defender Ruben Dias told TNT Sports.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan could have won it for Inter when he blazed over 15 minutes from time and Ilkay Gundogan wasted two late chances for Guardiola’s team, failing to convert two headed chances.

But former Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian had perhaps the best chance of the game when he back-heeled at goal when a more conventional shot looked the better option.

“Our plan was to show that we’re not scared to play here,” said Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu.

It was the first time City had failed to score at home in Europe’s elite tournament since being held 0-0 by Sporting Lisbon in March 2022, and just the second time at home in all competitions since then. The other was a 0-0 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League in March.

But the result saw City extend its six-year unbeaten home run in European games to 32, dating to a 2-1 loss to Lyon.

“I’m pleased with our performance, I liked everything,” Guardiola said.

PSG looked as if they would also have to settle for a point against European debutants Girona, who are backed by the City Football Group and ran Real Madrid close for several months in Spain last season before coming third.

However, a goalkeeping blunder from Paulo Gazzaniga in the 90th minute gifted the Ligue 1 champions a 1-0 victory at the Parc de Princes.

“We won’t get to where we want to overnight,” Girona coach Míchel said. “It requires hard work.”

PSG defender Nuno Mendes stole away down the left and sent across a low ball that deflected off the outstretched leg of substitute Alejandro Frances before squeezing through the arms and body of Gazzaniga for an own-goal to save the home side’s blushes.

“It was a difficult game, they’re a team that plays well with the ball,” Mendes told Canal Plus. “I was surprised [by the goal]. The goalkeeper was there and it got through.”

SUPER-SUB GITTENS PROPELS DORTMUND

Last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund, beaten by Real in the final, had English winger Jamie Gittens to thank as the 20-year-old came off the bench and scored twice in a 3-0 win at Club Brugge.

Serhou Guirassy added a stoppage-time penalty for his first Dortmund goal since arriving in the summer from Stuttgart.

Dortmund’s defence had a Champions League-best six clean sheets last season on its way to the final, where Real found two late goals to take the title.

Somehow, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel kept out Brugge despite 18 goal attempts including a close-range shot by Hugo Vetlesen that rattled the cross bar in the 12th minute. Vetlesen’s effort ended a manic series of four shots in a matter of seconds from a corner including a diving save by Kobel.

The Switzerland keeper’s five saves meant Dortmund did not pay for their own wastefulness in front of goal until taking the lead in the 76th from a Gittens shot that deflected off two defenders before looping past Simon Mignolet into the Brugge net.

Gittens followed it up with a fine effort after an impressive step-over and Guirassy added a third for the Nuri Sahin’s side.

Celtic began in style by thrashing Slovan Bratislava 5-1 in Glasgow, winning their opening game in the Champions League for the first time in 13 attempts.

Liam Scales’ powerful header put Celtic ahead and the hosts struck again through Kyogo Furuhashi early in the second half before Arne Engels converted a penalty for 3-0.

Kevin Wimmer pulled one back with a fine strike for the Slovak champions, who came through four rounds of qualifying, but Celtic pulled away with further goals from Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah.

“It’s a fantastic night,” Celtic captain Callum McGregor told TNT Sports.

He added, “I hope the supporters enjoyed it because the managers and players did. This is the next level for the group in terms of growth and development.”

Bologna drew 0-0 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Italian team’s first ever Champions League match. Lukasz Skorupski saved an early penalty from Shakhtar’s Georgiy Sudakov.

Sparta Prague swept Red Bull Salzburg aside 3-0 with goals from Kaan Kairinen, Victor Olatunji and Qazim Laci, as the Czech champions won for the first time in the competition proper since 2003.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2024