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Nigel French
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Man United v Basel & Celtic v PSG, Champions League

This season’s group stages got underway tonight and we were keeping you up-to-date with all the action.

Man United 3-0 FC Basel
Celtic 0-5 PSG

EUROPEAN FOOTBALL’S PREMIER club competition returns this evening with eight matches taking place around the continent.

While we’ll keep you abreast of all the latest scorelines, our main focus will be on the meeting of Manchester United and FC Basel at Old Trafford, and Paris Saint-Germain’s visit to Celtic Park.

All the games kick off at 7.45pm.

CL 12 September

Here’s the team news from Old Trafford. Eri Bailly and Phil Jones are missing through suspension, meaning Chris Smalling and summer signing Victor Lindelof come in. The defence also see Daley Blind and Ashley Young replace Matteo Darmian and Antonio Valencia.

Ander Herrera drops out of the squad while Marcus Rashford has to settle for a place on the bench. That sees Anthony Martial and Juan Mata get the nod. Paul Pogba, meanwhile, is named captain.

Manchester United: De Gea; Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Blind; Matic, Pogba; Mata, Mkhitaryan, Martial; Lukaku.

 

FC Basel:Vaclík; Akanji, Suchý, Balanta; Lang, T. Xhaka, Zuffi, Riveros; Steffen, van Wolfswinkel, Elyounoussi.

Remember Ricky van Wolfswinkel? The Dutch striker had a torrid time at Norwich City between 2013 and 2016. He signed for Basel from Vitesse Arnhem in the summer and starts here.

Fussball Super League - FC Basel - FC Lausanne-Sport Giuseppe Esposito Giuseppe Esposito

At Parkhead, Brendan Rodgers has named 18-year-old Anthony Ralston at right full-back. The teenager makes his group stage debut in the competition. Mikeal Lustig and Jozo Simunovic will line out at centre-half with Kieran Tierney on the left side of their four-man defence. Meanwhile, Stuart Armstrong is in so Tom Rogic and Callum McGregor are among the substitutes.

The visitors start with two of the highest-profile signings in world football in Neymar and Kylian Mbappe as part of a three-pronged attack with Edison Cavani.

Celtic: Gordon; Ralston, Lustig, Simunovic, Tierney; Brown, Ntcham; Roberts, Armstrong, Sinclair; Griffiths.

 

PSG: Aréola; Dani Alves, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Kurzawa; Rabiot, Motta, Verratti; Mbappé, Cavani, Neymar.

1 min: Kick-off – The matches are off and running.

2 mins: Man United 0-0 FC Basel – Early chance for United. The ball drops to Lukaku in the box from a corner and his powerful strike hits Basel defender Manuel Akanji.

6 mins: Celtic 0-0 PSG – Neymar and Mbappe both involved in the opening minutes. The French teenager cuts inside and see his effort strike a Celtic player. The referee waves away claims of handball.

Minutes later, Cavani is inches away from latching onto a cross.

10 mins: Celtic 0-0 PSG – French midfielder Olivier Ntcham, who arrived from Man City in the summer, has a shot from distance after space opens up in front of him. It’s dragged well wide, however.

14 mins: Man United 0-0 FC Basel –  Great move by United with Lukaku, Martial, and Mata linking up to set up Mkhitaryan. The Armenian heads over, however.

15 mins: Man United 0-0 FC Basel – Matic feeds Lukaku and the striker shoots tamely at the keeper.

15 mins: Celtic 0-0 PSG – Cavani has the ball in the back of the net after Layvin Kurzawa’s cross but he’s ruled offside.

17 mins: Man United 0-0 FC Basel – Bad news for Paul Pogba, as he’s down with an injury. It looks like Marouane Fellaini is coming on in his place.

GOAL! 20 mins: Celtic 0-1 PSG (Neymar) 

Celtic are behind. The visitors break at pace and Neymar steps inside youngster Ralston before finding the net emphatically.

Moments after conceding, Leigh Griffiths goes close from a set-piece but Areola tips away.

24 mins: Man United 0-0 FC Basel - The home side dominating and they really should have scored there. Lukaka turns his man and puts the ball across the goal, where Mkhitaryan hits the post before shooting straight at the keeper.

GOAL! 33 mins: Celtic 0-2 PSG (Kylian Mbappe) 

Another PSG new boys doubles their advantage. Neymar gets onto a cross to head back across goal, Cavani misses completely and Mbappe finishes with ease.

GOAL! 36 mins: Man United 1-0 FC Basel (Marouane Fellaini) 

The substitute puts United in front. On for the injured Pogba, Fellaini heads home after brilliant work from Ashley Young out wide.

PENALTY TO PSG…

GOAL! 40 mins: Celtic 0-3 PSG (Edison Cavani) 

Simunovic drags down Cavani and picks up a yellow card. The Uruguayan dusts himself odd before dispatching the penalty. Disaster for Celtic.

Half-times:
Man United 1-0 FC Basel
Celtic 0-3 PSG

The whistles go at both Old Trafford and Celtic Park as the players head in for the break.

And here are all the half-time scorelines:

Ht 12 Sep

46 mins: Second half – We’re back.

47 mins: Celtic 0-3 PSG – Griffiths has a header in the box after Kierney’s ball in but, instead of going for goal, the Scottish striker attempts to put the ball back across and danger is snuffed out.

GOAL! 52 mins: Man United 2-0 FC Basel (Romelu Lukaku) 

United have a second. After a super run by Martial earns a corner, Lukaku rises highest to send a header over the line.

That’s six goals in as many appearances since joining Man United. Not a bad start for Lukaku.

62 mins: Man United 2-0 FC Basel – Vaclik palms Lukaku’s back post header over the bar. Down the other end, De Gear has to make a smart save from Elyounoussi after sloppy defensive play from United.

A Celtic supporter invades the pitch and runs towards Kylian Mbappe.

Celtic v Paris Saint Germain - UEFA Champions League - Group B - Celtic Park Andrew Milligan Andrew Milligan

GOAL! 84 mins: Celtic 0-4 PSG (Mikael Lustig own goal) 

PSG sub Julian Draxler drills a cross in and Lustig turns it into his own net.

GOAL! 85 mins: Celtic 0-5 PSG (Edison Cavani) 

Brilliant improvisation by Cavani to get himself onto a ball to the back post and direct it back across goal with his head.

Full-times: 
Man United 3-0 FC Basel
Celtic 0-5 PSG

Full-time results from around the grounds:

FT 12 Sep

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