Juventus Turin and Aston Villa confirmed their positions as favorites in the opening matches of this year’s Champions League.
Photo: Anthony Calanni
Nicolas Gonzalez (center).
The Italian team defeated PSV Eindhoven 3:1 and the English representative triumphed at Young Boys Bern 3:0. The matches opened the league phase of this LM season, which takes place for the first time in an expanded format of 36 teams.
The opening goal of the ongoing year of the prestigious competition came in Turin from Kenan Yildiz in the 21st minute. The 19-year-old Turk sent the ball effectively into the far upper corner and became Juventus’ youngest scorer in the Champions League.
He thus surpassed Alessandro Del Piero’s record from 1995. Six minutes later, American Weston McKennie netted another goal, and after the break, Nicolas Gonzalez, who claimed the first accurate strike in the Champions League, increased the class difference.
In addition, Ismael Saibar benefited from the inconsistent home defense, which reduced the score to 1:3.
Aston Villa recorded their first triumph in the competition since November 1982, when they last appeared in what was then the European Champions Cup.
Youri Tielemans opened the scoring in Bern with a millimeter finish over two players. The next goal was scored after a strange situation, when the home team’s Mohamed Camara sent a short pass to the goalkeeper David von Ballmoos under pressure from the opponent, and the entire defense of Bern stood still.
Ollie Watkins took advantage of it – he took the ball from the goalkeeper and Jacob Ramsey finished into the open goal. In Bern, he made up for the class difference in the end with Amadou Onana, who placed the ball excellently from a distance. Two goals by the “Villans” were subsequently canceled by the VAR system for handball.
Both meetings were the first duels between these opponents.
In Tuesday’s first-round clash between AC Milan and FC Liverpool, the home team lost to “The Reds” 1:3.
Bayern Munich confirmed the role of favorite when they crushed Dinamo Zagreb 9:2. English gunner Harry Kane scored four goals for the home team.
Real Madrid did not allow the impending sensation and in the end decided on its triumph 3:1 over VfB Stuttgart.
Although Christian Pulisic gave AC Milan the lead against Liverpool in the third minute, the Italian vice-champion ended up empty-handed.
In the 23rd minute, the home team did not protect a standard situation from the side and Ibrahima Konate extended the ball into the net.
The second and winning goal also came at the “standard”, Konstantinos Tsimikas found the head of captain Virgil van Dijk from a corner kick. Dominik Szoboszlai made the final 3:1 after a break.
In Munich’s Allianz Arena, home team Bayern led 3:0 already at halftime. After Harry Kane’s penalty and Raphael Guerreira’s goals with Michael Olise, it looked clear.
However, the home captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had to replace him at halftime due to an injury, and his substitute Sven Ulreich scored two goals in a two-minute sequence shortly after the break.
In addition, Takuja Ogiwara put a “manger” on him with a contact goal. However, the Munich side managed to get back on the pace, first Kane and Olis added one goal apiece, and the England captain continued his penalty shootout until he reached number four.
He currently has 33 accurate shots in the Champions League and thus surpassed Wayne Rooney’s record for the number of accurate shots in the Champions League by an Englishman. The record has been at number 30 since 2015.
Stuttgart made themselves known in Madrid early on, when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to extinguish the situation in front of the home team’s goal.
In the end, his team opened the scoring thanks to Kylian Mbappe, who did not hesitate in front of an open goal after breaking through the visitors’ defense and scored his first goal in the Champions League in a Real shirt.
Deniz Undav equalized in the 68th minute with a corner kick – he received the ball from Jamie Leweling in a small area and sent it to Courtois’ counter move. Antonio Rüdiger and Endrick saved three points for the favorite in the end.
Sporting Lisbon won 2-0 against Lille, which played at a numerical disadvantage from the 40th minute after Angel Gomes was sent off. The hosts’ midfielder received two yellow cards within 40 minutes.
The home team netted the winning goal in the 38th minute thanks to Viktor Gyökeres, and Zeno Debast added another with a long-range shot under the crossbar.
1st round of the LM league phase:
Juventus Turin – PSV Eindhoven 3:1 (2:0)
Goals: 21. Yildiz, 27. McKennie, 52. Gonzalez – 90.+3 Saibari
Young Boys Bern – Aston Villa 0:3 (0:2)
Goals: 27. Tielemans, 38. Ramsey, 86. Onana
AC Milan – FC Liverpool 1:3 (1:2)
Goals: 3. Pulisic – 23. Konate, 41. Van Dijk, 67. Szoboszlai
Bayern Munich – Dinamo Zagreb 9:2 (3:0)
Goals: 20., 57., 73. and 78. Kane (first, third and fourth from 11 m), 38. and 61. Olise, 33. Guerreiro, 85. Sane, 90.+2. Goretzka – 49. Petkovič, 50. Ogiwara
Real Madrid – VfB Stuttgart 3:1 (0:0)
Goals: 46. Mbappe, 83. Rüdiger, 90.+5 Endrick – 68. Undav
Sporting Lisabon – OSC Lille 2:0 (1:0)
Goals: 38. Gyökeres, 65. Debast, ČK: 40. Gomes (Lille) after 2nd ŽK
Loading sports results… Source: sportweb.pravda.sk
