Soccer

Champions League wrap: Lazio and PSG win first legs

Ten-man Bayern Munich beaten in Stadio Olimpico

Lazio's forward Ciro Immobile. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty
Lazio's forward Ciro Immobile. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty
Wed Feb 14 2024 - 22:20

Lazio 1 Bayern Munich 0

Ciro Immobile scored a 69th-minute penalty to earn hosts Lazio a 1-0 victory over 10-man Bayern Munich on Wednesday in their Champions League round of 16 first-leg clash.

Immobile converted his spot-kick after Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano’s clumsy challenge on Gustav Isaksen for which the France international was sent off with a straight red card.

Disciplined Lazio stifled the German side’s attacks and Bayern were toothless throughout, failing to get a single effort on target in the match.

READ MORE

The Bavarians, favourites going into the game, were desperate to bounce back from Saturday’s 3-0 Bundesliga loss to leaders Bayer Leverkusen which left them five points off the top.

They will return to Munich with more pressure piling on coach Thomas Tuchel and his team after their second straight defeat. They have failed score in their last two games.

Bayern started well and pressed the Italians high had created early chances for Joshua Kimmich and Harry Kane, who both narrowly missing the target.

The Italians, who had lost 6-2 on aggregate to Bayern at this stage three years ago, responded with a Luis Alberto missile that flew wide of Manuel Neuer’s goal.

The tempo gradually dropped, Bayern struggled with the disciplined Italian back line and had to wait until the 40th minute to threaten again with Jamal Musiala firing over the bar from close range.

Lazio should have taken the lead two minutes after the restart when Isaksen only had Neuer to beat but the keeper stood his ground to block his shot.

The Dane earned a penalty when Immobile passed to Isaksen in the box and Upamecano arrived late and stepped on his ankle.

Immobile kept his cool and sent Neuer the wrong way to give his team the advantage going into the return leg in Munich on March 5th.

PSG 2 Real Sociedad 0

Second half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Bradley Barcola secured Paris St Germain a hard-fought 2-0 win over visitors Real Sociedad in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Wednesday.

The Basque club, who arrived at the Parc des Princes unbeaten in this year’s competition after topping Group D, were arguably the better side until Mbappe fired home a volley after he pounced onto Marquinhos’ corner to give PSG the lead in the 58th minute.

Three minutes later, Barcola extended PSG’s lead as he nudged the ball through the legs of the goalkeeper Alex Remiro.

  • Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
  • Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
  • Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here