Champions League scores: Man City and Inter play 0-0 draw, while PSG down Girona thanks to late keeper mistake

After all the goals you could want on Tuesday, only Celtic delivered the adrenaline on Wednesday

Teams left it late, but most of the favorites got the job done in Wednesday's Champions League action. Manchester City and Inter played to an eventful draw, but with Kevin De Bruyne being withdrawn at half with a possible injury, City's depth could be put to the test. Winning this game wasn't critical, but how they bounce back will be. Paris Saint-Germain needed some help from Girona as Nuno Mendes forced a Girona own goal in a 1-0 home victory.

Borussia Dortmund exploded in the second half with Jamie Bynow-Gittens changing the match with a brace before Serhou Guirassy scored from the spot, but the best of the goals were saved for Celtic Park. The Bhoys pulled off a 5-1 victory over Champions League debutants Slovan Bratislava which could be very important in the new single table system. 

In the early matches, Sparta Prague blew RB Salzburg away with a 3-0 victory which could be an important result due to how critical goal difference will be in this format. Bologna struggled to a goalless draw at home against Shakhtar Donetsk, but with a penalty conceded less than five minutes into the match, it could've been worse.

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Champions League Wednesday results

Bologna 0, Shakhtar Donetsk 0
Sparta Prague 3, RB Salzburg 0
Manchester City 0, Inter 0
PSG 1, Girona 0
Club Brugge 0, Borussia Dortmund 3
Celtic 5, Slovan Bratislava 1

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[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:58 pm ET · James Benge]

Full time across Europe

There you have it. Manchester City are held goalless in Europe for the first time in nearly two years but at least get a clean sheet against Inter. Girona came within moments of doing the same in the Parc des Princes only for Nuno Mendes' late goal to break Catalan hearts.

If it was goals you were after, though, I hope you were watching the other games. Borussia Dortmund took their time but burst into life late on in Bruges while Celtic scored five for the first time in the Champions League. They needed to start off with three points to get themselves in the playoff mix early on. Well right now they're second in the table. That'll do quite nicely.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:52 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

GOAL! PSG 1, Girona 0

It's a goal for Nuno Mendes but it'll actually go down as an own goal for Gazzaniga. The excellent day for the Girona man could end in disappointment as only stoppage time remains.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:48 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Gazzaniga called into action 

The Girona man has had quite a lot of work to do in the second half with PSG taking 15 shots and putting five on target. That hasn't been enough for a goal yet which is astounding but down to the man in ner.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:45 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Goal! Celtic 5, Slovan Bratislava 1

It's Adam Idah this time for the Bhoys as they've well and truly run away with this one. American Auston Trusty has also entered the game for Cameron Carter-Vickers and it's full on celebration mode at Celtic Park.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:37 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

PSG free kick

12 minutes remain and PSG has a great chance outside of Girona's box. Hakimi fired the shot over the bar as PSG just can't get their chances on target regularly during this match.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:30 pm ET · James Benge]

A couple of chances for City

It has really been the story of this game that City have their moments but struggle to assert themselves on Inter. They're going to have to make these passages of play count, so far they haven't. First a lovely passing move unleashes Foden in the box but he drives at Sommer. Then Grealish slaloms through midfield in the style of his Aston Villa days, really testing an Inter defense that had held firm before. Soon after he'll see a shot deflected over. He's looking dangerous.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:29 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Goal! Celtic 4, Slovan Bratislava 1

Celtic were able to get a goal back after conceding and they've now scored the same amount of goals as every other team combined in UCL play today. This time it's Maeda as every goal has been scored by a different player.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:24 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Off the bar for Dembele

PSG are doing everything possible in this match but scoring. They've been dominating but the ball just won't go in the net with only 25 minutes remaining. There's plenty of time but in PSG's first European test is a disappointing one so far.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:19 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Goal! Celtic 3, Slovan Bratislava 1

It's the first UCL group stage goal for Slovan Bratislava and it goes to Kevin Wimmer. While it could feel like too little too late in the match, we're only in the 60th minute so if Celtic aren't careful, this could be the beginning of an epic collapse. 

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:15 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Finally, a shot on target for PSG

It took until the 56th minute for Achraf Hakimi to put a shot on target but PSG needs a goal quickly before nerves start to set in because Girona are also growing into the match. 

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:13 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Penalty to Celtic!

We've got another chance coming here as somehow the Bhoys have been able to take all the goals from this slate. Makkelie was taken down and it's now a chance for Engels to take and he won't miss!

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:12 pm ET · James Benge]

Darmian, just shoot!

Was that Inter's moment? Another of their excellent counter attacks, Taremi playing a quite wonderful pass in behind Gvardiol that's right into Darmian's stride. All the former Manchester United man has to do is strike the ball at goal and he'll have a decent chance of scoring. Certainly a better chance than his Inter team mates did when instead he chose to backheel the ball to no one.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:06 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Goal! Celtic 2, Slovan Bratislava 0

Getting the second half started with bang as Furuhashi finishes quite a chance from point blank range and Celtic Park is rocking. They've gotten off to a good start and that will go a long way to ensuring that they can mange the game for the rest of the way. Celtic deserves this lead and there could be more goals on the way.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 4:04 pm ET · James Benge]

Double change for City to start the second half

Phil Foden replaces Savinho in what one has to assume is a tactical change, a curious one given that the Brazilian was among City's more dangerous players in the first half. The other might well be a change that was forced on Guardiola, De Bruyne withdrawn after landing awkwardly just before the interval. Ilkay Gundogan takes his place.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:59 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

HT -- Paris Saint-Germain 0, Girona 0

PSG didn't bring their shooting boots failing to put any of their shots on target. Marco Asensio was withdrawn with a hamstring injury but it still feels like the only winner will be the Parisians. Girona failed to take a shot let alone put one on target in what has been a rough first half for the UCL debutants. PSG won't want to lose a match at home to kick things off so the intensity levels will rise heading into the second half of play.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:53 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

HT -- Celtic 1, Slovan Bratislava 0

There were almost as many yellow cards as shots on target in the first half in Scotland but it was still a great match. Celtic has had the better chances of the two but Slovan Bratislava could still make something happen. This is still anyone's game as the second half could bring fireworks. 

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:50 pm ET · James Benge]

HT -- Man City 0, Inter 0

A weird display from the hosts and leading contenders. There were moments when they clicked around the edge of a well-defended Inter box, De Bruyne got up to his old tricks and they looked like they might put something together. However this side, which sometimes has a line of six just off Haaland when it reaches the final third, look so vulnerable when Inter can break through the first line of press. If you can find a clip of Zielinski doing so, you've got to see his one brilliant feint that took two defenders out of the game. While this stays 0-0, chances are going to present themselves for Inter.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:41 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

An early change for PSG

Marco Asensio is exiting due to what seems like a hamstring injury. Randal Kolo Muani will be his replacement as PSG has plenty of depth all around and are still searching for an early goal.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:36 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

The running theme is where are the goals?

We have over 40 shots in the first half of these games but Celtic is the only team with a goal so far in these proceedings. It feels like only a matter of time until more teams join them but who will be next?

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:29 pm ET · James Benge]

City starting to take a grip on proceedings

It seems like Lewis might be sitting a little more conservatively on occasion while Silva is also drifting wider to aid the threat on that right flank. Equally it might simply be that City have dialled up their possession play, their passes that bit crisper as they do their best to keep an organised Inter defense moving. The gaps are emerging, De Bruyne putting all sorts of wicked spin on a delivery that flashes past Haaland's head and Savinho causing plenty of issues.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:26 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Paging PSG

Controlling more than 70% of possession where are the shots on target? Neither team has one yet but PSG won't want this to be a match where they dominate but have little to show for it.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:25 pm ET · James Benge]

Carragher speaks out on the Club World Cup

Apropos of nothing -- look events have rather slowed down at the Etihad -- I thought Jamie Carragher really hammered home the sheer sense of exhaustion that is engulfing everyone in football at a time of more Champions League games, EFL Cup games jammed in wherever possible in England and another summer of tournament football in FIFA's dramatically expanded Club World Cup.

No wonder Rodri is talking about possible strike action.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:19 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Goal! Celtic 1, Slovan Bratislava 0

It's a well taken chance from Liam Scales following wing a great delivery by Arne Engles. This match has been quite open so far and Celtic Park is rocking. They almost followed it up with another too!

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:17 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

So close for PSG

It was Asensio through on goal but he put his shot just wide. More chances like that and PSG won't be far from an opening goal, however. Girona has done well but the Parisians are growing into the match as the first half goes on.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:10 pm ET · James Benge]

A mixed start for City

Half an opening for the hosts early on when Haaland is just beaten to a cross by Bastoni but don't expect this to all be one way traffic. Inter are looking like a team perfectly prepared to hit it hard and long towards Taremi when they get possession back, really looking to probe that space that Lewis is inverting from. Thuram is caught offside on one of those breakaways, a real moment of frustration for Inter given that Augusto was charging into space down the City right.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:09 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Chance for Celtic!

You'll be hearing this one a lot today as Celtic has a high powered attack. Alistair Johnston created the chance for Daizen Maeda but he couldn't finish the attack. Facing a Slovan Bratislava side making their UCL group stage debut, you've got to take those.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:06 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Girona off to a good start

The Spanish side are one of the Champions League debutants playing away in a tough match against PSG. Drawing a free kick in a good position only four minutes into the match, they didn't make a ton from it but set plays will be critical if they're to secure a shock result.

[Sep 18, 2024 at 3:04 pm ET · James Benge]

Kick off

Across Europe, we're up and running!

[Sep 18, 2024 at 2:59 pm ET · Jonathan Johnson]

Auteuil absence

For anyone wondering why PSG have a section of Parc des Princes empty this evening... It owes to a suspension carried over to this evening. A big night for Girona but by no means a full traveling contingent in the French capital. Still a decent noise being generated ahead of this one. 

[Sep 18, 2024 at 2:58 pm ET · James Benge]

The big games roll on

Well look, let's be honest, I suspect you probably weren't sneaking out of work early for those 12:45 ET kickoffs. But we've got some corkers ahead of you now. Can the runners up from last season start this one with a bang? How do a new PSG size up against good if depleted La Liga opposition? Am I mad to think that Celtic might end up in the top half of the table?

All that and a rerun of the 2023 final. This is going to be good fun!