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Neymar helps PSG beat Red Star Belgrade in Champions League

By Alex Butler
Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar Jr celebrates scoring during the UEFA Champions League Group C soccer match between Red Star Belgrade and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Tuesday in Belgrade, Serbia. Photo by Srdjan Suki/EPA-EFE
Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar Jr celebrates scoring during the UEFA Champions League Group C soccer match between Red Star Belgrade and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Tuesday in Belgrade, Serbia. Photo by Srdjan Suki/EPA-EFE

Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Neymar smoothly sprinted with the ball on his boot before faking out the Red Star Belgrade keeper for a goal in PSG's Champions League win on Tuesday in Serbia.

The score gave Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 lead in the Group C match at Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade. PSG won the match 4-1.

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Edinson Cavini scored PSG's first goal, beating Milan Borjan in the 9th minute after getting an assist from Kylian Mbappe.

Neymar's strike came 31 minutes later, securing a two goal lead for PSG at the half. Cavani slid a pass to his left, finding Neymar on the flank during the possession. The Brazilian collected the feed before bringing the ball into the box and pushing it to his right. Neymar dribbled at the top of the box before faking a shot.

The fake sent Borjan flying to his right. Neymar collected himself and chipped the Red Star keeper into the near-post netting.

But Red Star didn't surrender in the second half. The home squad took advantage of a PSG error to cut the PSG lead in half in the 56th minute. The PSG defense attempted to clear the ball out of the box, but a header went right onto the foot of Marko Gobeljic for a volley into the near-post netting during the sequence.

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Angel Di Maria helped PSG put away Red Star on a free kick in the 74th minute. The Argentine star served a pass onto the head of Marquinhos, who slipped his shot by Borjan for PSG's third tally. Mbappe added another score in stoppage time on an assist from Neymar.

PSG battles Dijon FCO in Ligue 1 play at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Stade Gaston Gerard in Dijon, France. The Parisians move onto the round of 16 in the Champions League, with the draw planned for Monday in Switzerland.

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