Messi, Barcelona outgun Spurs as Neymar bags hat-trick

AFP  |  Paris 

struck twice as inflicted more pain on Tottenham with a 4-2 win at Wembley on Wednesday, while hit a brilliant hat-trick in Paris Saint-Germain's 6-1 rout of Red Star Belgrade.

scored after just two minutes for Barcelona, who arrived in winless in three matches, with drilling in a magnificent second.

Messi, who had earlier twice hit the post, then got on the scoresheet in between goals from and Erik Lamela, before the superstar grabbed his second late on to seal victory.

"After a few bad results it was important to do well today. Our response was very good," said

Barca head Group B on six points alongside Inter Milan, but Mauricio Pochettino's side face a vital double-header against PSV Eindhoven after failing to collect a point from their opening two matches.

The Tottenham boss admitted Spurs had few answers for Messi as his team was left with an uphill struggle to reach the knockout stages.

"He's a fantastic player," said Pochettino.

"His average performance is this type of game. He's always above everything."

Inter, the last to win in 2010, again recovered from a goal down to beat PSV 2-1 in the

A cracking strike put PSV ahead, but Inter levelled through moments after visiting somehow escaped a red card for handling outside his area.

Mauro Icardi, whose late goal stunned Spurs a fortnight ago, was the hero again for Luciano Spalletti's men as he pounced on hesitant defending to net the winner on the hour.

PSG rebounded from their 3-2 defeat by with an attacking masterclass against winners Red Star at the

curled in a sublime free-kick to open the scoring on 20 minutes, quickly doubling his tally before Edinson Cavani, and also found the target.

Former international popped up with a consolation for Red Star, with completing his hat-trick from another stunning free-kick.

"I really liked the effort made by the whole team, but Neymar was sensational," said

"He is one of the best players in and that is very, very important for us." - Insigne sinks -

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Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli top Group C on four points after delivered a 90th-minute winner at home to Liverpool, who are level on three alongside PSG.

hit the bar for Napoli late on, but there was still time for Insigne to nick all three points at the death as he slid to poke in a cross from

scored two goals to lift Madrid, last season's winners, to a 3-1 victory over in

Arnaut Groeneveld cancelled out Griezmann's opener with a thunderous strike from the left wing, but the international restored Atletico's lead before Koke made the points safe in stoppage time.

Borussia lead at the top of Group A on goal difference following their 3-0 defeat of a struggling outfit.

broke the deadlock in shortly after his introduction as a half-time substitute, with Paco Alcacer finding the net just minutes after smacking a penalty against the bar.

fired in a third from a Bruun Larsen cross, leaving and on six points apiece ahead of their upcoming home-and-away meetings.

In Group D, American hit an 88th-minute winner as struggling Schalke edged Lokomotiv Moscow 1-0.

are joint-top with Schalke following a 1-0 win over Galatasaray courtesy of Moussa Marega's second-half goal in

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Thu, October 04 2018. 09:40 IST