GENEVA, Oct 5: Newcastle’s first home game in the Champions League for more than 20 years was pulsating in the famously atmospheric St. James’ Park as the team capped a stellar day for Saudi Arabia’s soccer project with a 4-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday that left Kylian Mbappé a picture of despair.
Hours before kickoff at Newcastle, which was struggling when bought by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund just two years ago, the kingdom became the strong favorite to host the 2034 World Cup in a fast-track bidding contest opened by FIFA.On the field, a Newcastle team fueled by the fervor of its passionate fans, swept aside Mbappé and a PSG team bought by Saudi neighbor Qatar 12 years ago after it was picked as 2022 World Cup host.
Newcastle has raced to the top of the tough Group F where seven-time European champion AC Milan drew 0-0 at Borussia Dortmund, the 1997 title winner.
Manchester City further restored Premier League pride one day after Arsenal and Manchester United both lost their games in the second round of the group stage.
City won 3-1 at Leipzig and the Abu Dhabi-backed defending champion already looks comfortable atop the Group G standings with lower-ranked Red Star Belgrade and Young Boys drawing 2-2.Barcelona also earned a second straight win, 1-0 at Porto where the Spanish team’s starlet Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to start a European Cup game in the 68-year history of the competition at 16 years, 83 days.Lazio scored a stoppage-tme winning goal at Celtic in a 2-1 victory to join Atletico Madrid on four points in Group E. Atletico trailed twice before outlasting Feyenoord in a 3-2 win.Investment from the Saudi Public Investment Fund has not made Newcastle universally popular but there was a feel-good, home-town story about boyhood fans Dan Burn and Sean Longstaff being among the scorers against the more expensively assembled PSG team.“You can’t knock it. It’s a very special moment for Newcastle,” coach Eddie Howe said.
The win extended an impressive streak for Newcastle, including a 0-0 draw in the group opener at Milan, an 8-0 rout of Sheffield United in EPL, and eliminating Man City last week in the English League Cup. (AP)
