Aussies Abroad: Sainsbury denies former club Inter in first UEFA Champions League start

Two Caltex Socceroos defenders were involved in key UEFA Champions League matches on Wednesday morning (AEDT).

Milos Degenek’s Red Star Belgrade took on the might of Paris Saint Germain, featuring Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, while Trent Sainsbury went to former club Inter Milan with PSV Eindhoven.

Here’s how our two Aussies went...

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Trent Sainsbury earned his first Champions League start with PSV as they travelled to the San Siro looking to spoil the party for his former club Inter Milan.

Inter needed a win to boost their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages but were frustrated as the Dutch champions came away with a 1-1 draw.

Mexican attacker Hirving Lozano shocked the home fans with an early goal for the visitors after a horrible defensive error.

The Italians went on the attack from that point but struggled to find a way past Sainsbury and the solid PSV rearguard.

Inter’s pressure eventually told 17 minutes from the end, when skipper Mauro Icardi headed in at the far post.

PSV absorbed a stack of late pressure to come away with a draw, which means Inter finish third in the group and drop to the Europa League after EPL club Tottenham salvaged a 1-1 draw with Barcelona in Spain.

Fellow Caltex Socceroos defender Aziz Behich was an unused sub for PSV.

Meanwhile, Milos Degenek’s Red Star Belgrade ended their first Champions League campaign in two decades with a 4-1 defeat at home to PSG.

Degenek started and played another full 90 minutes for the Serbian league-leaders but they were no match for the French heavyweights.

Star strikers Edinson Cavani, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe all got on the scoresheet for PSG.

 

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