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International ice sculpture competition kicks off in NE China

International ice sculpture competition kicks off in NE China

International ice sculpture competition kicks off in NE China

2018-01-05 10:55 Last Updated At:15:34

A participant carves an ice sculpture during an international ice sculpture competition at Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 3, 2018. The 5-day-competition kicked off last Sunday attracted fourteen teams from home and abroad to participate. 

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

(Photo: Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

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Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick, Erling Haaland stayed on the bench injured and Real Madrid dumped Manchester City out of the Champions League on Wednesday.

Mbappé's stellar trio of goals in the fourth, 33rd and 61st minutes in a 3-1 win gave Madrid a 6-3 victory on aggregate over the 2023 champion in their two-leg knockout playoff.

“This has been the complete performance — attack, defense, with the ball and without the ball, we showed such high levels of quality," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "Almost the perfect night.”

One superstar striker was watched by another from the sidelines. Haaland was not fit to start for an ultimately overmatched Man City because of a knee injury sustained late in a Premier League game Saturday.

Paris Saint-Germain beat French rival Brest 7-0, to run up a 10-0 aggregate score, and will play either Liverpool or Barcelona in the round of 16.

PSV Eindhoven ousted Juventus in the only one of the eight playoffs this week that went to extra time. Defender Ryan Flamingo scored in the 98th minute for a 3-1 win on the night and 4-3 on aggregate. United States international Timothy Weah scored for Juventus.

“Honestly, we slipped up," Weah said. “I felt like they were more aggressive on the night and we lacked a bit of aggression and hunger.”

In the early game Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund started with a 3-0 lead at home to Sporting Lisbon and was barely stretched in a 0-0 draw. Sporting's Champions League campaign imploded after coach Ruben Amorim left for Manchester United in November.

Mbappé’s first goal of the two-leg playoff in Manchester was a lucky miscue, a looping effort off his shin to level at 1-1 in what ended a 3-2 win.

His three goals in Madrid were classy and decisive. A first-time lob over City goalkeeper Ederson — who perhaps advanced too far, too soon — was followed by a low shot after leaving defender Joško Gvardiol on the turf.

The third was a powerful left-footer from the edge of the penalty area when he had lured six Man City players toward encircling him.

“I have always said I didn’t come here simply to complete a dream," said Mbappé, a boyhood Madrid fan who never won a Champions League at Monaco and PSG. “I want to play well, I want to mark an era.”

Coach Pep Guardiola's injury-hit side — with Ballon d'Or winner Rodri out since September and Kevin De Bruyne now rarely starting — has looked like a shadow of the heavyweight rival that met Madrid in each of the past three seasons, when each time the winner went on to lift the trophy.

PSG has not lost anywhere since a Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich three months ago, and the playoff against Brest proved a total mismatch.

Brest had impressed in its first European season but went out with a whimper at Parc des Princes, after a 3-0 loss in the home leg.

Wingers Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored in the first half. Midfielder Vitinha, Desiré Doué, left back Nuno Mendes, striker Ramos and Senny Mayulu netted after the break. PSG also beat Brest 5-2 in a French league game this month.

With Ruben Amorim as coach, Sporting was unbeaten in four Champions League games and stood second in the 36-team standings. The team he left behind went winless in six Champions League games under two different coaches.

Dortmund also fired a coach midseason and newly hired Niko Kovač now has two wins on the European stage to offset two straight losses in the German league.

Still, Sporting’s prospects to be in the Champions League next season look better than Dortmund’s.

Portugal’s champion advances direct to the next league phase and Sporting currently is top, two points clear of Benfica. Dortmund is 11th in the Bundesliga and could need to win this Champions League title to earn a place in the next edition.

Real Madrid, PSG, Dortmund and PSV join Bayern Munich, Benfica, Club Brugge and Feyenoord, which all advanced Tuesday, as playoff round winners who will be unseeded teams in Friday's draw. They will host the first-leg games on March 4-5.

The top eight in the 36-team standings three weeks ago — Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, Aston Villa — skipped the playoffs round and are seeded in the round of 16 draw. They host second legs on March 11-12.

The round of 16 is in a new, tennis-like seeded bracket for the knockout stage in the expanded competition format.

Madrid, as the 11th-place team in the standings and No. 11 seed already knew its next opponent would be Atletico or Leverkusen, who respectively placed fifth and sixth.

Top-seeded Liverpool will play No. 15 PSG or No. 16 Benfica.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PSV's Ivan Perisic scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Ivan Perisic scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Ryan Flamingo, right, scores his side's third goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Ryan Flamingo, right, scores his side's third goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

PSG's Bradley Barcola, left, celebrates with a teammate after scoring the opening goal of his team against Brest during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Brest at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Bradley Barcola, left, celebrates with a teammate after scoring the opening goal of his team against Brest during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Brest at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Vitinha , left, celebrates with teammate PSG's Bradley Barcola after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Brest at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Vitinha , left, celebrates with teammate PSG's Bradley Barcola after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Brest at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Juventus' Timothy Weah, second left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Juventus' Timothy Weah, second left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Ivan Perisic scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Ivan Perisic scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Ivan Perisic celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Ivan Perisic celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between PSV and Juventus at Phillips Stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb.19, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, left, greets Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, left, greets Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti hugs Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti hugs Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates with teammates after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates with teammates after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal of his team during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal of his team during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola watches the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola watches the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, center, scores the opening goal of his team during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, center, scores the opening goal of his team during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland sits on the bench ahead of the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland sits on the bench ahead of the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe shoots to score his sides third goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe shoots to score his sides third goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates with Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, right, after scoring his sides third goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates with Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, right, after scoring his sides third goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens reacts during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens reacts during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's Julian Brandt tackles Sporting's Goncalo Inacio during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's Julian Brandt tackles Sporting's Goncalo Inacio during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Sporting's Eduardo Quaresma left, and Dortmund's Serhiou Guirassy fight for the ball during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Sporting's Eduardo Quaresma left, and Dortmund's Serhiou Guirassy fight for the ball during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Sporting's goalkeeper Rui Silva fouls Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi inside the penalty box during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Sporting's goalkeeper Rui Silva fouls Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi inside the penalty box during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's head coach Niko Kovac walks during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's head coach Niko Kovac walks during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Sporting's goalkeeper Rui Silva saves the penalty kick during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Sporting's goalkeeper Rui Silva saves the penalty kick during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring his sides third goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring his sides third goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, left, and Phil Foden attend a training session at the City Football Academy, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, ahead of the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, left, and Phil Foden attend a training session at the City Football Academy, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, ahead of the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring his sides third goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring his sides third goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti, right, talks to Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola before the start of the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti, right, talks to Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola before the start of the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

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