Champions League: Rashford hat-trick as United crush Leipzig, Barca down Juve

 

Marcus Rashford was the hero for Manchester United in the Champions League again with a second-half hat-trick in a 5-0 thumping of RB Leipzig on Wednesday.

Rashford’s late goal earned United a 2-1 victory away to Paris Saint-Germain last week and at Old Trafford the England striker came on as a second-half substitute and scored three times in the last quarter of an hour in what was a fine win against last season’s semifinalists.

Paul Pogba released Mason Greenwood to open the scoring in the first half, before the youngster made way for Rashford after the break and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side ran away with the game to make it two wins from two in group H.

Anthony Martial also netted from the penalty spot as United ruthlessly exposed the side who currently top the German Bundesliga and went clear at the top of the section.

Meanwhile PSG got their campaign up and running by beating Istanbul Basaksehir 2-0 in Turkey, although they lost Neymar to an adductor injury in the first half.

Both PSG’s goals were scored in the second half by Moise Kean, the on-loan Everton striker heading in Kylian Mbappe’s corner in the 64th minute and then turning to fire in the second late on.

In Italy, Barcelona bounced back from their weekend defeat in the Clasico against Real Madrid and shut out the boardroom crisis which led to president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigning on Tuesday with a deserved 2-0 win over Juventus.

Ronald Koeman’s side had luck on their side as they took the lead through a deflected Ousmane Dembele strike and then saw Alvaro Morata have three goals disallowed for offside for the hosts.

The absence of Ronaldo because of a positive coronavirus test meant no chance to see him renew his on-field rivalry with Lionel Messi, but the Argentine got his name on the scoresheet late on, netting a stoppage-time penalty to seal Barca’s second victory in as many Group G outings.

Andrea Pirlo’s side next play away at Ferencvaros, who came from behind to draw 2-2 with 10-man Dynamo Kiev in Budapest.

In Group E, Chelsea were comprehensive 4-0 winners away to Krasnodar in Russia, with Jorginho missing a penalty before Callum Hudson-Odoi opened the scoring.

Timo Werner smashed in a spot-kick on 76 minutes to double Chelsea’s lead, with Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic adding late goals.

Sevilla beat Rennes 1-0 in the same section with Luuk de Jong scoring the only goal.

Borussia Dortmund claimed their first points in Group F with Jadon Sancho’s 78th-minute penalty and Erling Braut Haaland’s stoppage-time strike securing a 2-0 win over Zenit Saint-Petersburg.

The Germans are a point behind Lazio and Club Brugge, who drew 1-1 in Belgium with a Hans Vanaken penalty securing a draw for the hosts.