A first-half penalty earned Lille a shock 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase on Wednesday, ending the 15-times European Cup winners’ 14-game unbeaten run in the competition.
Jonathan David converted a penalty three minutes into first-half stoppage time to hand Real, who had not lost in their previous 36 matches in all competitions, their first defeat since January. The result put Ligue 1 side Lille on three points from two games in the new format of Europe’s premier club competition. Real, who won their opening match against VfB Stuttgart, are also on three points.
Aston Villa beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to a brilliant late Jhon Duran goal as the hosts celebrated in style their first home game in Europe’s elite club competition for 41 years. With the Germans dominating possession but squandering chances, Duran ran onto a high ball in the 79th minute, spotted goalkeeper Manuel Neuer off his line, and scooped the ball over him to send Villa Park into delirium.
It was Duran’s fifth goal as a substitute this season. The win was a throwback to one of Villa’s most glorious days when they beat Bayern Munich to lift the European Cup in 1982.
Duran’s goal came against the run of play after Bayern had enjoyed two thirds of possession and the best chances in both teams’ second fixture of the new 36-team league phase of the Champions League. In the first half, Villa’s World Cup-winning Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved a Harry Kane bullet header brilliantly, though the striker was later ruled offside, then tipped over a shot from Michael Olise.
Benfica’s Kerem Akturkoglu, Angel Di Maria, Alexander Bah and Orkun Kokcu scored in a 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid to start their Champions League campaign with two consecutive wins.
A mistake by Atletico’s defence helped Akturkoglu open the scoring in the 13th minute and another error ended with a penalty which Di Maria converted. Bah extended Benfica’s lead with a header from a corner in the 75th minute and Kokcu completed the rout against Diego Simeone’s side from the penalty spot after Reinildo Mandava fouled substitute Zewki Amdouni.
Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah got on the scoresheet as Liverpool beat Bologna 2-0 to remain perfect in their campaign. A rousing atmosphere greeted Arne Slot and his team who had beaten AC Milan 3-1 away in their opener, and Liverpool did not disappoint, with Mac Allister scoring in the 11th minute, tapping in Salah’s pinpoint cross from close range.
The Argentinian midfielder’s first goal of the season came less than two minutes after Bologna’s Thijs Dallinga slotted the ball past Liverpool keeper Alisson, but it was disallowed for offside. Liverpool were denied a second goal in the 17th minute when Darwin Nunez sprinted onto a pass before calmly firing home past Lukasz Skorupski, but the Uruguayan was flagged for offside. After narrowly missing several scoring chances, Reds talisman Salah finally connected in the 75th minute for his 49th Champions League goal, touching the ball past Juan Miranda before curling a rocket into the top right corner.
AS Monaco came from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw away to Dinamo Zagreb at a rain-sodden Maksimir stadium, with Denis Zakaria equalising with a 90th-minute penalty. Petar Sucic put Dinamo ahead in added time at the end of the first half with a delightful chip over the keeper and the home side doubled their lead in the 66th minute when Martin Baturina struck a powerful shot from outside the area.
A powerful strike from Christos Tzolis earned Club Brugge a 1-0 victory at Sturm Graz. The Greek forward netted the decisive goal in the 23rd minute, firing into the far corner off the post from the edge of the area following a neat first touch.