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Chloe Digby·17 September 2024
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Chloe Digby·17 September 2024
There was big night of European action as the Champions League kicked off for the first time in a brand new format.
Here’s what happened.
Scorers: Pulisic 3′; Konate 23′ Van Dijk 41′, Szoboszlai 67′
Arne Slot delivered his first Champions League win after Liverpool came from behind to beat Milan 3-1 at San Siro.
The Reds barely had time to settle before Christian Pulisic had put Milan ahead at San Siro, shooting beyond Alisson at the near post.
After Arne Slot’s side had time to gather their composure, Ibrahima Konaté nodded home from a set-piece to level the scores.
After Mo Salah had struck the woodwork, another set-piece saw Liverpool take the lead thanks to a bullet header from Virgil Van Dijk.
Liverpool had their third when a determined run from Cody Gakpo down the left-hand side found Dominik Szoboszlai for a simple finish.
Scorers: Mbappé 46′, Rüdiger 83′, Endrick 90+5; Undav 68′
Real Madrid survived a Stuttgart equaliser to win 3-1 as Endrick netted a stoppage time stunner.
Marking his debut for his new side in the Champions League, Kylian Mbappé had two chances to score early on, before Stuttgart were unlucky themselves not to score as they hit the bar with a shot.
Less than a minute into the second half and Mbappé had his goal after some superb work from Rodrygo down the wing found the Frenchman unmarked in the box, and there could only be one outcome.
Stuttgart had really tested Madrid, and they got their just reward when Deniz Undav delivered a superb header back across goal away from Thibaut Courtois to net the equaliser.
It was down to Antonio Rüdiger to pull Madrid back in front, scoring against his former side with a header from a Luka Modrić corner.
And the win was sealed in stoppage time as Endrick ran from deep inside his own half to deliver a stunning strike.
Scorers: Kane 16′, 57′, 73 (PEN), 78 (PEN), Guerreiro 33′, Olise 38′, 61′, Sané 85′, Goretska 90+2; Petković 48′, Ogiwara 50′
Bayern thought they had the lead when Jamal Musiala played in Serge Gnabry beautifully in the box, but the finish from the Germany international was chalked off for offside, but instead the referee gave a penalty for a foul on Aleksandar Pavlović.
That spot-kick was converted by Harry Kane to put the home side ahead.
A sublime chest down from Musiala inside the box allowed Raphaël Guerreiro to hit a fantastic volley into the back of the net, a goal which was reviewed by VAR for a possible offside but allowed to stand.
No sooner had that goal been given, than Bayern had another, this time through former Crystal Palace man Michael Olise with his first Champions League goal with a header.
As the second half kicked off, Zagreb had emerged from the break a different side and soon pulled one back as Bruno Petković slid in to finish from a cross delivered from the right-hand side.
Two minutes later and the away side seriously ramped up the pressure as Tayuka Ogiwara found himself one-on-one with Manuel Neuer and Bayern asking for an offside that never came.
Yet any jangling nerves were soon settled when Harry Kane once again came up with the goods as he finished from a shot that was spilled by the goalkeeper.
Olise then had his second, and Bayern’s fifth, tapping home after goalkeeper Ivan Nevistić had once again made a valiant effort to make the save.
This was Kane’s night though, and he netted his third and fourth goals of the night thanks to two penalties.
Bayern added yet another when Leroy Sané swung his boot at a shot from just outside the box, and Leon Goretska added the ninth in stoppage time, making this the most goals scored by any side since the Champions League was born in its current form.
Scorers: Gyökeres 38′, Debast 65′
An in-form Viktor Gyökeres was the star as Sporting beat Lille 2-0 in what was a straight-forward victory.
The home side had the lead thanks to an excellent turn and finish in the box from the in-form Viktor Gyökeres.
Things went from bad to worse for Lille as Angel Gomes was sent off for a second yellow card after a foul on the goalscorer.
A sensational hit from 30 yards out from defender Zeno Debast bent and swerved its way into the back of the net, putting Sporting in control.
Scorers: Yildiz 21′, McKennie 27′, González 52′; Saibari 90+3
New Juventus signing Nico González delivered a goal and an assist as the Bianconeri beat PSV at home by a 3-0 scoreline.
Thiago Motta’s men got off to a flying start when new number ten Kenan Yildiz drove towards the box and curled in a stunning solo effort to put Juve in the lead.
Juventus doubled their advantage when some stunning work down the right from González created an opportunity for Weston McKennie to nod home from a central position.
Shortly after the break, González turned from creator to goalscorer when an insightful pass from Dušan Vlahović found him free in the box to finish high into the net.
PSV knocked in a consolation in stoppage time, which did little other than spoil Juve’s clean sheet.
Scorers: Tielemans 27′, Ramsay 38′, Onana 86′
Aston Villa marked their return Champions League action for the first time since 1983 with a 3-0 win over Young Boys.
The travelling supporters soon had a goal to celebrate after a well-worked set piece was finished from just inside the 18-yard box by Youri Tielemans.
Then, a terrible mistake at the back from Young Boys allowed Villa to score again before half-time as hesitation led to what looked like a certain foul on Ollie Watkins near the goal-line, and some quick thinking from Jacob Ramsay saw him steal the ball and slam it home.
Villa were in the mood for scoring as Watkins fired a rocket right into the top corner, but the goal was disallowed for a handball in the build-up.
After his stunning goal in the Premier League at the weekend, substitute Jhon Durán curled in another wonderful finish, but his strike was also disallowed for a handball in the passage of play that led to the goal, this one even more blatant.
A perfect night for the Villains was rounded off when Amadou Onana drilled a low shot from distance into the bottom corner.
The Champions League action continues on Wednesday with Man City facing Inter – a repeat of the 2023 final – and PSG taking on Girona, who themselves are part of the City Football Group.