KHARKIV, Ukraine: Manchester City put aside their recent Premier League setback, delivering a comfortable performance in a 3-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk in Champions League Group C last night.
Pep Guardiola’s side, beaten by Norwich City on Saturday, brought in their Brazilian former Shakhtar midfielder Fernandinho as a makeshift central defender to replace the injured John Stones.
But there was to be no real test of City’s back line as the English champions dominated, taking the lead in the 24th minute through Riyad Mahrez, who slotted home after Ilkay Gundogan’s shot came out off the post.
Shakhtar quickly had a chance to go level after a superb run from Taison who found Junior Moraes but his tame shot was well dealt with by Ederson.
City doubled their lead in the 38th minute with Mahrez finding Gundogan at the end of a trademark City passing move and the German clipped home to make it 2-0.
The Ukrainian side struggled to break up City’s possession play in midfield and while there was a relaxed tempo from Guardiola’s side, the outcome was never in doubt.
Gabriel Jesus made it three in the 76th minute after Kevin De Bruyne led a swift counter-attack and slipped in the Brazilian who made no mistake.
Meanwhile, Angel Di Maria produced a vintage performance with two goals to help Paris St Germain claim a 3-0 home win over Real Madrid in their Group A game.
Di Maria provided two first-half goals as PSG suffocated Real throughout and Thomas Meunier added a third in stoppage time.
Real, European champions three years in a row from 2016-18 who eliminated PSG in the last 16 in 2017-18, failed to muster a shot on target and suffered their first defeat of the season.
Bayern Munich kicked off their campaign by easing to a 3-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade in a one-sided Group B encounter.
Kingsley Coman headed them into the lead in the 34th minute from a fine Ivan Perisic cross and the Bundesliga’s leading scorer Robert Lewandowski slid in for the second goal in the 80th.
Thomas Mueller volleyed in his first goal of the season in stoppage time.
Atletico Madrid produced a typically spirited comeback from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Juventus in a thrilling finale to Wednesday’s blockbuster Group D opener.
Mexico midfielder Hector Herrera levelled in the 90th minute with a thumping header from a corner, after defender Stefan Savic had pulled a goal back for the Spaniards in the 70th with a header from close range.
Juve went ahead in the 48th minute through Juan Cuadrado and doubled their lead in the 65th minute with a header from midfielder Blaise Matuidi.
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