UEFA Champions League Gameweek 1 Highlights
Juventus 4-4 Borussia Dortmund - Allianz Stadium
An even matchup between Juventus and Dortmund with an instant classic. 8 goals with some screamers to match the drama of the game. A great comeback and showcase of character from the Juventus team to score 2 additional time goals at the end of the game to rescue a point in the final moments of the opening fixture for both clubs. The performance Dortmund fans would have been proud of but an unfortunate end to the game for them may have left them disappointed in the end.
The deadlock was broken in the 52nd minute after a switch move forward from Dortmund. Intricate play from Nmecha and Guirassy as they played the ball between themselves and to Adeyemi. He took a touch in between 2 Juventus players and found space on the edge of the box before a low driven shot to the bottom corner. A great finish from the Dortmund player to give them the lead.
It didn't take long for Juventus to equalise just over 10 minutes later. The ball was played from down the right hand side to the left side after a good run from substitute Joao Mario. He then gave it to Kenan Yildiz on the left, in which he immediately cut in on his right foot and curled the ball into the top right corner. A great finish from the Turkish winger to open his account in the Champions League for the season.
Within 2 minutes, Dortmund had the lead again in the 65th minute. The ball was down the right side for Dortmund as Yan Couto drove towards Andrea Cambiasso and managed to move the ball to Adeyemi. He tried to work a shooting opportunity again, but chose to lay the ball off to a waiting Felix Nmecha. The lay off gave Nmecha the chance to shoot first time, which he did with a great finish once again.
The 4th goal in 15 minutes came for Juventus as the game was level again. There was some good play in the middle of the pitch from the Juventus players before Yildiz turned from scorer to supplier. A great through ball to Vlahovic who took one touch out of his feet and a tidy finish into the bottom corner with his weak foot.
In the 74th minute, Dortmund took the lead again after Thuram lost the ball midway in his own half. The Dortmund right back Couto took advantage and drove with the ball towards the Juve defence. He took a shot to try his luck and managed to beat Di Gregorio at his near post. A goal in which the Juventus goalkeeper will have been disappointed to have let in but Dortmund will not have cared.
With 8 minutes left, Dortmund were on the attack again with Brandt and Bellngham involved before Guirassy took a shot which was blocked by Lloyd Kelly. Although it was blocked the Dortmund players appealed for a hand ball and penalty before it was given seconds later. The Juve defender seemed to have gone down with his hands next to him but along the floor so unfortunately still a penalty. Ramy Bensebaini stepped up to take the penalty, he casually went up and passed it into the bottom left corner to give Dortmund a 4-2 lead.
The comeback for Juventus started in the 94th minute as Dortmund failed to clear their lines and see out the game. Kalulu intercepted the ball, took a touch out of his feet and crossed the ball to Vlahovic in the middle with a clinical finish off the post to give Juve hope in the last minutes of the game. The Dortmund players looked around at each other wondering how it happened.
The comeback was completed with one of the final attacks of the game in the 96th minute. The move started in the middle of the pitch with Joao Mario before he played it to the right side to Dusan Vlahovic. The goalscorer turned provider as he cut it and played the ball into the box and a diving header from Lloyd Kelly into the corner to level the game for a final time. Juventus 4-4 Dortmund. A terrific game to kick off the UEFA Champions League season.
Liverpool 3-2 Atletico Madrid - Anfield Stadium
Another dramatic game this time with a last minute winner from Virgil Van Dijk to give Liverpool all 3 points and extend their unbeaten start to the season. The match was dominated by Liverpool in every stat and they should have possibly had more goals but a fight back from Atletico seemed to stop the momentum of Liverpool before a late goal to win it. The match did have its controversy also as Atletico manager Diego Simeone was sent off after an altercation with the Liverpool fans near the dugout following the winning goal. A moment of the match which seemed to put a damper on the fact of a late minute winner for Liverpool but in the end 3 points would have been welcomed. The fight back from Atletico would have left their fans disappointed to go home with nothing but they would be proud of their team regardless.
The opening goal came within the first 5 minutes of the game from a free kick on the edge of the box. The ball appeared to take an accidental deflection from Andy Robertson but it seemed to wrong foot goalkeeper Jan Oblak. He seemed to be unable to react in time to the deflection as the ball trickled into the net in the 4th minute to give Liverpool the lead.
There was 2 goals in 2 minutes for the Anfield hopeful to cheer with a lovely move down the right side, which ended with Mo Salah being able to find a space in the box for his patented left foot finish into the far corner. Salah had the ball on the right side before a give and go between him and Cody Gakpo fell right into the path of Salah to take a touch and score to double their lead.
Atletico managed to pull a goal back just before half time. Pablo Barrios lifted the ball over the Liverpool midfield to an open Raspadori down the right side. He carried the ball before laying it off to Marcos Llorente who took a touch and poked the ball into the corner to give Atleti a lifeline going into half time.
Atletico were level in the 81st minute with some neat play on the left hand side as Koke tried to move into the box but lost his footing at a crucial time. The ball was played back to Barrios who took a touch and shot but was well blocked. The ball flicked into the air from the block, with Llorente on the edge of the box to hit the ball on the volley. A deflection off Alexis Mac Allister looped the ball over a helpless Allison to give Atletico the equaliser they were after.
In the second minute of added time in the 90th minute, a corner from Dominic Szoboszlai was the perfect delivery for the head of Virgil Van Dijk. He appeared to have a free header and made no mistake in firing it into the far corner for a last gasp winner at the KOP end. In the aftermath, a confrontation between Diego Simeone, his coaching staff and the Liverpool fans near the dugout. This ultimately led to the sending off of Diego Simeone. The Liverpool fans were jubilant and despair for the travelling Atletico Madrid fans as their team persistence counted for nothing.
Newcastle 1-2 Barcelona - St. James’ Park
The game was mostly dominated by Barcelona as 2 moments of quality from Marcus Rashford proved to be enough for the victory. Although Newcastle did have their chances and could have taken the lead in the early goings of the match but were unable to make their chances count. A late goal from Anthony Gordon made it a nervy end for Barca but they were able to hang on for the 3 points away from home to open their UCL campaign.
Shortly before the hour mark, Barcelona took the lead. Good play down the right side from Raphinha to keep the attack alive before it made its way to Kounde on the right side of the box. He flicked the ball to his left foot before a ball into the box found the head of Marcus Rashford at the penalty spot. A great header into the far corner left Nick Pope with no chance as Rashford scored his first goal for Barcelona on familiar English soil.
Almost 10 minutes later, Rashford struck again, this time entirely his own doing. The Newcastle defence failed to clear their lines as it was picked up by the Englishman. He shuffled the ball around Sandro Tonali to give himself time and space to get a shot off. As he found space he looked almost off balance as he fired the shot past Pope, with no chance for the keeper again. An excellent goal from Rashford to find space and smash the ball off the crossbar and in.
In the 90th minute, a glimmer of hope was given to the Newcastle fans. A well worked move from defence through the spine of the team and to the attack on the right side with Jacob Murphy. He delivered the ball first time to the box and an arriving Anthony Gordon was waiting to put it into the corner. A good finish from Gordon even though he may not have hit it as cleanly as he may have wanted. The goal seemed to come too little too late as they were unable to add a second and draw the game. A tight end to the game but Barcelona were able to see it through.
