Soccer

Barcelona take top spot with win over PSG

Ibrahimovic’s opener cancelled out by Messi before goals from Neymar and Suarez

Lionel Messi (left) of FC Barcelona scores his team’s first goal past Salvatore Sirigu (centre) and David Luiz of Paris Saint-Germain FC at Camp Nou Stadium. Photograph: David Ramos/Getty Images

Wed Dec 10 2014 - 21:51

Neymar scored a spectacular goal as Barcelona came from behind to beat Paris St Germain 3-1 in their Champions League showdown for top spot in Group F on Wednesday.

Former Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic put the French side ahead after 15 minutes with their first threat on goal but Lionel Messi restored parity as he maintained his remarkable scoring form with his eighth goal in Europe this season.

The Argentine slotted in at the far post from a Luis Suarez cross and although they continued to look exposed at the back, Neymar scored with a drive from distance which nestled in the corner of the net.

It was a disjointed performance from Barca and they were hanging on before Suarez knocked in a rebound from a Neymar shot that was saved by Salvatore Sirigu.

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The win put them on 15 points, two more than PSG who beat Barca in France.

In the group's dead rubber in Amsterdam, third-placed Ajax beat Apoel Nicosia 4-0.

Athletic Bilbao secured a berth in the Europa League when Mikel San Jose and Markel Susaeta struck in a 2-0 win for the Basque club at home to BATE Borisov in Champions League Group H.

Bilbao squandered a host of chances at their San Mames arena before finally making the breakthrough against the Belarussian champions in the 47th minute when San Jose swept the ball home from a Susaeta corner.

Susaeta made it 2-0 two minutes from time after fine work from substitute Borja Viguera.

Both teams were already eliminated from the Champions League and Bilbao needed only a draw to make sure of third spot behind group winners Porto and second-placed Shakhtar Donetsk, who drew 1-1 after Vincent Aboubakar cancelled out Taras Stepanenko's opener for the Ukrainians.

BATE head home empty handed having set a record for goals conceded in the group phase of Europe’s elite club competition of 24 following drubbings at Porto and home and away against Shakhtar.

After finishing fourth in La Liga last season, Bilbao have been on erratic form this term and are 10th in Spain's top flight after 14 matches. Runners-up to Atletico Madrid in the 2012 Europa League, they finished fourth in their group in their only previous Champions League campaign in 1998-99.

The draw for the last 32 of the Europa League is on Monday.

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