Messi brilliance not enough to see PSG past Benfica
Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica battled to an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Estadio da Luz that saw both sides come close to snatching all three points.
The two teams entered Tuesday's match atop Champions League Group H with six points from their opening two matches, and the result leaves them in good position to make it through to the knockout stage.
Benfica came flying out the gates as Gianluigi Donnarumma did well to deny Goncalo Ramos in a one-on-one situation, before deflecting a David Neres out for a corner inside the opening 20 minutes.
However it was PSG who opened the scoring thanks to a bit of brilliance from Lionel Messi.
After some great interplay between Neymar, Mbappe and the Argentine, the latter curled an exquisite shot past a helpless Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Record for Messi
It means Messi has scored against 40 different teams in the Champions League, a record in the competition, while also making it the first time he's scored in four straight matches for PSG since joining the French side.
Benfica didn't let the goal get to them and levelled the score in the 41st minute.
Enzo Fernandez's cross from the left eluded Ramos, but Danilo Pereira had the misfortune of turning the ball into his own net.
Both teams had chances to take the lead after the break. Neymar hit the crossbar with an acrobatic bicycle kick, while Achraf Hakimi's shot from distance was expertly turned away by Vlachodimos.
Benfica had their chances, with Donnarumma denying Nicolas Otamendi and Rafa Silva, but in the end, the two teams settled for a 1-1 draw ahead of next week's clash at the Parc des Princes.
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