Қайрат (Kairat) 0, Πάφος (Paphos) 0
In Almaty, Kazakhs and Cypriots both failed to win their easiest match of the Champions League group stage.
Kairat’s failure was greater. (A Paphos defender was red-carded in minute 4.) Happily, the draw allowed the upstart ex-Soviets to leap over respectable Athletic Bilbao, as well as illustrious Ajax and Benfica, in the standings.
The islanders – who, on Matchday 1, had stalemated Olimpiacos (6–1 losers today, at Barcelona) – already were perched above that trio.
Did I watch any of these games? I did not.
Now, a report on some (not all) of my compatriots.
Willian Pacho scored Paris Saint-Germain’s first goal of seven at Bayer Leverkusen. (PSG won.)
A game I did watch: Piero Hincapié’s Arsenal smoked Atlético Madrid, 4–0. Piero didn’t play. He’s easing back from injury. The starting left-back, Calafiori, rested; Lewis-Skelly, Calafiori’s understudy, played brilliantly, assisting on the second goal. Piero also can play left center-back. That position’s occupant, Gabriel, scored, then assisted.
Hardworking Viktor Gyökeres, a Swede – the game’s best player – broke his scoring drought with two goals. He’s not a positional rival of Piero’s. I rooted for him.
Kairat’s failure was greater. (A Paphos defender was red-carded in minute 4.) Happily, the draw allowed the upstart ex-Soviets to leap over respectable Athletic Bilbao, as well as illustrious Ajax and Benfica, in the standings.
The islanders – who, on Matchday 1, had stalemated Olimpiacos (6–1 losers today, at Barcelona) – already were perched above that trio.
Did I watch any of these games? I did not.
Now, a report on some (not all) of my compatriots.
Willian Pacho scored Paris Saint-Germain’s first goal of seven at Bayer Leverkusen. (PSG won.)
A game I did watch: Piero Hincapié’s Arsenal smoked Atlético Madrid, 4–0. Piero didn’t play. He’s easing back from injury. The starting left-back, Calafiori, rested; Lewis-Skelly, Calafiori’s understudy, played brilliantly, assisting on the second goal. Piero also can play left center-back. That position’s occupant, Gabriel, scored, then assisted.
Hardworking Viktor Gyökeres, a Swede – the game’s best player – broke his scoring drought with two goals. He’s not a positional rival of Piero’s. I rooted for him.