MANCHESTER, Sep 20: Manchester City fans were in shock. Red Star Belgrade’s Osman Bukari had just burst through on goal to fire the visitors into an unlikely halftime lead at Etihad Stadium.
Here was an early reminder of just how difficult it will be for Pep Guardiola’s team to retain the Champions League title it won for the first time last season.
Normal service was resumed by the end of Tuesday’s Group G game, with City completing a second-half comeback to win 3-1. Bukari’s strike, however, was evidence of the dangers that may lie ahead. Julian Alvarez scored twice to ensure City got its Champions League title defense off to a winning start.
Rodri, whose goal against Inter Milan in last season’s final saw City crowned European champions, added a third later on. “After winning the treble we need to be the type of champions who prove (to) ourselves that we are able to make a comeback,” Pep Guardiola said afterward. “We have things to improve in general, but that’s really, really good.”
PSG 2-0 Dortmund
Striker Kylian Mbappé continued his scoring spree and right back Achraf Hakimi also found the net as Paris Saint-Germain opened its Champions League campaign with a 2-0 home win against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
Mbappé’s penalty put PSG ahead in the 49th minute following a video review. Referee Jesús Gil Manzano stuck to his decision and ruled that defender Niklas Süle handled the ball from Mbappé’s shot.
The France striker stroked the ball into the bottom left corner and just out of the reach of goalkeeper Gregor Kobel for his eighth goal in five games this season. It extended his club-record tally to 220 goals in 265 games. Nine minutes later, Kobel was beaten from close range when Hakimi swapped passes with midfielder Vitinha and cut inside a defender before curling the ball into the bottom left corner with the outside of his right foot. PSG plays at Newcastle and Dortmund hosts Milan on Oct. 4.
Newcastle 0-0 AC Milan
Newcastle marked its return to Europe’s elite with a 0-0 draw at AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, despite being completely dominated at San Siro.
A combination of good saves by Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope and wayward finishing by Milan saw the visitors pick up a point in the club’s first Champions League match in 20 years.
“Hopefully we can grow from this into the tournament,” Newcastle coach Eddie Howe said.
“I praise the players for their defensive qualities that they showed today. We know we can do better with the ball but hopefully that will come.
Milan, which reached the semifinals last season, should have put the match to bed in the first half and the seven-time champion will perhaps rue its missed opportunities, with Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund also in Group F.
Barcelona 5-0 Antwerp
Barcelona’s new forward Joao Felix struck twice in a 5-0 demolition of visiting Royal Antwerp in their Champions League Group H opener at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Tuesday.
After successive group-stage eliminations, Barca gave debutants Antwerp a football masterclass, dominating possession with quick passing as Felix, Lewandowski and Gavi all scored. Last-minute signing Felix opened the scoring with the home side’s first attempt in the 11th minute, netting with a low strike inside the near post.
The Portuguese then set up Robert Lewandowski inside the box to double their lead. Raphinha helped to make it 3-0 to the five-time European champions after 22 minutes when his strike from a tight angle deflected off defender Jelle Bataille for an own goal. Gavi made it 4-0 by smashing the ball into the roof of the net before Felix added another goal with a header to complete the rout at Barca’s temporary home while Camp Nou is being redeveloped.
Lazio 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel came forward and headed in a stoppage-time equalizer to earn the Roman club a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.
On the final play of the match at the Stadio Olimpico, Provedel — making his Champions League debut — showed off his unlikely attacking skills by meeting a cross from Luis Alberto with a glancing header. It was a measure of revenge for Provedel, who was left fuming after Pablo Barrios scored for Atletico in the first half with a shot that took a big deflection off Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada. Feyenoord beat Celtic 2-0 in the other Group E match.
Porto 3-1 Shakhtar
Ukrainian champion Shakhtar Donetsk had a losing start at its new, temporary home in Germany as Galeno scored two goals and set up a third to help Porto ease to a 3-1 win over Shakhtar in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Shakhtar was welcomed by a near-capacity crowd of more than 46,700 at the Volksparkstadion in its first “home” game in Germany. Despite the support for Shakhtar, it took Porto less than eight minutes to open the scoring as Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk.
Inexperience was on show in Shakhtar’s injury-depleted defense soon after, though, as Porto swiftly restored and extended its lead. A wayward pass across the defense from Danylo Sikan completely evaded 20-year-old center-back Stav Lemkin, allowing Galeno to intercept and score past Riznyk.
Mehdi Taremi scored the third.
The Iranian slipped in between midfielder Taras Stepanenko and left-back Novatus Miroshi as Shakhtar’s central defenders were nowhere to be seen. (AP)
