While Olympique de Marseille produced a solid performance by winning against Sporting (2-0), the goals rained down on the various European lawns. Barcelona and Inter played until the last minute at Camp Nou (3-3), while Liverpool and Bayern played against Rangers and Viktoria Plzen respectively.
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
Champions League nights. Undefeated #UCL
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 12, 2022
FC Barcelona on the brink of elimination
It could have been worse. The Catalans narrowly avoided correctional by conceding a draw against Inter at home (3-3). Author of a double in the last ten minutes, Robert Lewandowski left a slim hope of qualification for his club by avoiding defeat, which would have been synonymous with a second elimination in a row in the C1 pool.
In the lead at the break after the opener from Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé (40th), Barcelona let their guard down. Forgotten by a guilty Pique, Barella put Inter back up (50th), before Lautaro Martinez gave the Milanese the advantage with a cross shot which hit Ter Stegen’s two posts before entering the cage (63rd). Gosens then restored the advantage to his team by scoring the 3-2 goal (89th), but that was without counting a late goal from the Pole, who rose higher than everyone else to place an unstoppable header.
Barcelona 1-0 Inter
Barcelona 1-1 Inter
Barcelona 1-2 Inter
Barcelona 2-2 Inter
Barcelona 2-3 Inter
Barcelona 3-3 InterIncredible #UCL pic.twitter.com/ur90sorEAr
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 12, 2022
Barcelona no longer have their fate in their hands in the group of death, however, as Inter will only need a victory against Viktoria Plzen in the next match to secure a place in the round of 16.
Qualification in the pocket for Napoli, Bruges and Bayern
Also in Group C, Bayern Munich joined Manchester City and Real Madrid among the qualifiers for the next round thanks to a match made easy against the Czechs, despite a second-half let-go (4-2). 17-year-old Frenchman Mathys Tel played part of the game after Thomas Müller was injured.
Earlier in the evening, Naples also validated its ticket for the round of 16 by continuing its faultless, at home against Ajax (4-2). Leading from the first moments thanks to a header from Irving Lozano (4th), the Neapolitans were able to count on the fourth European goal from Giacomo Raspadori (16th) and on a goal from a biting Victor Osimhen (89th), to resist the return of the Lancers. For its part, Ajax is almost eliminated because of a too fragile defense (12 goals conceded in four games).
Quite the opposite of FC Bruges, who once again preserved their clean sheet to hold Atlético (0-0) in check and secure a place in the C1 knockout phase. The first for a Belgian club since La Gantoise in 2016. Author of nine stops at the Wanda Metropolitano, Simon Mignolet disgusted the Madrid attackers, like Antoine Griezmann, holder after the formalization of his signature with the Colchoneros. Diego Simeone’s club is not at best in its group, third two points from first qualifying place.
A record night with 36 goals
In the aftermath of a disappointing evening, European teams went wild on Wednesday to honor the continent’s biggest competition, with no less than 36 achievements – a record for a C1 2022-2023 evening so far.
6 – Mo Salah scored a hat-trick in just 6 minutes and 12 seconds between his 1st and 3rd goals, the fastest in Champions League history. Lightning. pic.twitter.com/qx0ooO07Va
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) October 12, 2022
While Mohamed Salah, author of fastest hat-trick in the history of the competition, made Rangers see all the colors with Liverpool (7-1), Porto stuck a 3-0 at Bayer Leverkusen in Group B. Finally in the Marseille pool, Tottenham rebelled against Frankfurt after Kamada’s opener. Kane and Son allowed the English to win (3-2) and regain first place in this tight mini-championship.