Tuesday's UCL Recap: Round of 16 (1st Leg)

The UEFA Champions League is back after a two month absence and it's crunch time as we begin the knockout stages of the competition with some excitement games over the next few weeks. So we begin with the games from last night.

Mbappé silences Old Trafford


Kliyan Mbappé played without his attacking partners in Neymar and Edinson Cavani but scored an important away goal for the PSG as they beat Manchester United 2-0 in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie at Old Trafford. Things were looking to be at United's favour as they have been unbeaten under Ole Gunnar Solskjær and PSG were without Neymar, Cavani, Rabiot and Meunier. However, during the game, United hardly threatened the French champions with only one shot on target from their 10 attempts from last night. PSG had chances but were unable to capitalize as well but in the second half, Presnel Kimpembe got the Parisians in front after converting a corner from Ángel Di Maria, giving PSG a vital away goal. Kliyan Mbappé, who played at the middle instead of playing out wide, scored the second goal with Di Maria supplying him with a low ball across the face of goal which the French attacker with his speed got to and scored past David de Gea. It became more frustrating for United as Paul Pogba received his second yellow card and was sent off, making him unavailable for the second leg in Paris. For PSG, they are at the advantage with the two goal lead but no lead is safe and United would have to put on a show in Paris to go through to the quarterfinals.

Zaniolo brace downs Porto


Italian midfielder Nicolò Zaniolo scored twice for AS Roma as the side from the Eternal City beat Portuguese giants FC Porto 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico. Roma have changed from the side that reached the semifinals last season and had the better chances in the first half with the best one coming from Edin Dzeko who received a pass from Fazio at the left of the penalty area and saw his chance go off the post. In the second half, Roma were gifted a chance with Casillas unable to catch the ball from a cross which caused a lot of trouble in the Porto penalty area. Twenty minutes from the end of the game, Roma finally get their breakthrough from Zaniolo who managed create space for himself to shoot and scored past Casillas to give the Italians the lead. He scored again six minutes later  after Dzeko took a shot from 25 yards but bounced off the post but Zaniolo was there to score past an empty net. Porto were given a glimmer of hope when Adrián López scored with 10 minutes left but Roma held on to win the first leg but Porto will be encouraged letting Rome with an away goal which could decide the tie in the second leg at Portugal.

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