PTI
Paris, September 19
Lionel Messi and Neymar needed only five minutes to combine for Paris Saint-Germain’s goal in a 1-0 win at Lyon in the French league as leaders PSG moved two points clear of second-placed Marseille.
Messi started and finished the slick move after exchanging passes with Neymar and curled the ball expertly past the despairing dive of goalkeeper Anthony Lopes for his fourth league goal of the season on Sunday.
It was Neymar’s seventh assist in the league this season, and the former Barcelona teammates combined again moments later as Messi went close.
Neymar was making his 100th league appearance for PSG, during which time he has been involved in 121 goals (77 goals and 44 assists).
With the World Cup in Qatar fast approaching, the Brazil star looks fitter than he has for many injury-plagued years since joining from Barcelona for a world record 222 million euros ($222 million) in 2017.
His partnership with Messi is getting closer to what it was at Barca when they shared 299 goals from 2013-17.
History made in Seria A
Milan: Two of the top Serie A coaches are already feeling the pressure after Juventus and Inter Milan lost on a miserable day for some of the traditional greats of Italian soccer.
It was the first time since February 1955 that Juventus, Inter, AC Milan and Roma have lost on the same day in the Italian league.
Promoted Monza probably didn’t expect their first-ever Serie A win to come against Juventus but managed to beat Massimiliano Allegri’s side 1-0. Juventus played most of the match with 10 men following Angel Di María’s red card.
Simone Inzaghi is also under pressure after his Inter side was earlier beaten 3-1 at Udinese, for their third league loss of the season in seven rounds.
Napoli remained top of the Serie A after inflicting a first defeat of the season on defending champions Milan. Napoli won 2-1 and is one of the two remaining unbeaten teams along with Atalanta, who won 1-0 at Roma.
Allegri was already under pressure after Juventus lost its second straight Champions League match midweek. It was unbeaten in Serie A but had only won two of its opening six matches.
The Bianconeri were perhaps expecting an easier match at Monza, which was winless and had conceded 14 goals in its six games.
However, Juventus had barely a sight of goal and its chances of getting a morale-boosting win diminished when Di Maria was needlessly sent off in the 40th minute for elbowing Monza defender Armando Izzo forcefully in the chest.
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