ErlingHaaland continued his remarkable goalscoring form by netting twice as Manchester City thrashed FC Copenhagen 5-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Chelsea saw off AC Milan to revive their hopes of reaching the last 16.
Holders Real Madrid survived a spirited challenge from Ukrainians Shakhtar Donetsk at the Santiago Bernabeu to win 2-1 and extend their advantage in Group F.
Lionel Messi scored but Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw by Benfica in Lisbon.
Haaland went into City’s game against Copenhagen at the Etihad Stadium having becoming the first player in Premier League history to score three successive home hat-tricks in Sunday’s demolition of Manchester United.
The Norwegian slammed in the opening goal on seven minutes with his weaker right foot before prodding in a rebound for his second 25 minutes later.
The 22-year-old has now scored 28 times in his 22 Champions League appearances, already breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record for most goals in a player’s first 30 games in the competition.
“I’ve never witnessed anything like it in my life,” City’s Jack Grealish told BT Sport.
“For the first and second goals I was just laughing. He is always there.
“The ‘keeper said something to me as I was walking back. He said ‘He’s not human!’ I said ‘You’re telling me?’ Hopefully he can carry on this form and take us to glory.”
Visiting centre-back Davit Khocholava put through his own net, with Haaland waiting behind him, to make it three before halftime.
Haaland was denied a fourth City treble as he was replaced at the interval, but a Riyad Mahrez penalty and Julian Alvarez’s fourth goal for the club completed the rout.
Pep Guardiola’s men remain three points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund in Group G and will qualify for the knockout phase with a victory in the Danish capital next week. – AFP
Champions League results:
Chelsea 3-0 Milan
Real Madrid 2-1 Shakhtar
Man City 5-0 Copenhagen
Benfica 1-1 PSG
RB Salzburg 1-0 D. Zagreb
RB Leipzig 3-1 Celtic
Juventus 3-1 Maccabi Haifa
Sevilla 1-4 Dortmund
Bayern 5-0 V. Plzen
Marseille 4-1 Sporting
Porto 2-0 Leverkusen
Club Brugge 2-0 Atletico
Frankfurt 0-0 Tottenham
Ajax 1-6 Napoli
Inter 1-0 Barcelona
Liverpool 2-0 Rangers
