Celtic took an early lead against Paris Saint-Germain, but the French giants bounced back in breathtaking fashion to secure a 7-1 win.
The Scottish side were on the end of a 5-0 humbling in the reverse fixture two months ago, but might have allowed themselves to dream of a more memorable evening when Moussa Dembele gave them a shock lead after just 56 seconds.
That early goal only served to spark PSG’s heralded attacking triumvirate into life, though, as Cavani, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe scored four first-half goals to leave Brendan Rodgers’ side shell-shocked, effectively settling the game before the interval.
PSG eased up for most of the second half before a stunning late salvo added a deserved gloss to the scoreline. Marco Verratti added a fifth with a cool finish before Cavani bagged his second with a superb back-post volley, aided by a deflection off Kieran Tierney.
The final word went to Dani Alves – the Brazilian firing home a stunning strike from 25 yards that crashed in off the post.
PSG are three points ahead of Bayern Munich at the summit of Group B, and a draw against the Germans next month will be enough to top the group ahead of the last 16 stage.
Celtic’s trip to Paris had started so well and they took an improbable lead inside the opening minute with a goal that was made in France.
Frenchman Olivier Ntcham’s cleverly disguised corner was met just inside the penalty area by his compatriot Dembele, whose deflected shot flew past Alphonse Areola to send the visiting support into raptures.
Their joy was short-lived, however, as the world’s most expensive footballer delivered a finish of typical precision to pull Unai Emery’s side level after nine minutes. Adrien Rabiot jinked his way through the Celtic half before playing Neymar in down the left, where he was able to cannon a low shot past Craig Gordon and into the far corner.
Moments after Ntcham had drilled a powerful strike just wide for Celtic, PSG took the lead, as some clever interplay between Neymar and Verratti released the Brazilian inside the area, and in an almost carbon copy of his opener, he stroked into Gordon’s far corner.
Neymar then turned provider for the third in the 28th minute, getting his shoulder to Alves’ looping cross to tee up Cavani inside the six-yard box for the Uruguayan’s 150th PSG goal.
The hosts’ fourth arrived 10 minutes before the break as Mbappe took full advantage of some reckless defending from a free kick to power home for his seventh goal for the club since his move from Monaco.
Mbappe was denied a second when his scuffed shot was saved by Gordon, before Verratti grabbed a fifth with a drilled finish into the bottom corner with 15 minutes remaining.
Cavani added his second with a well-controlled back-post volley in the 79th minute, Tierney inadvertently steering the ball past the helpless Gordon.
The final act was reserved for Alves, whose swerving long-range strike just a minute later cannoned in off the post to put PSG in seventh heaven.
-This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za
