Champions League results - matchday 1

Sheriff stunned Shakhtar in Group D
Sheriff stunned Shakhtar in Group D / SERGEI GAPON/Getty Images
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After months of waiting the Champions League is back, with a highly entertaining first round of fixtures now complete.

There were shocks aplenty on matchday one, with Manchester United and Shakhtar Donetsk both on the wrong end of fairytale storylines, while there was drama in store for Liverpool and Man City.

Of course, there were some memorable individual displays too, with one former West Ham man having the game of his life.

Here's what went down on matchday one of the 2021/22 Champions League...


Sevilla 1-1 RB Salzburg

Aleksei Kulbakov, Youssef En Nesyri
Youssef En Nesyri was sent off for diving - in attempt to win a FIFTH penalty of the game / Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The most ridiculous game of the 2021/22 Champions League campaign has probably already taken place, and it went down in Andalusia between Sevilla and RB Salzburg.

The former are the dominators of the Europa League in recent years while Salzburg are an exciting up and coming team desperately looking to make their mark in European football's premier club competition.

What played out was a game that featured four penalties, three for the visitors - two of which were missed - a red card for Youssef En Nesyri, for diving and trying to win a fifth spot kick of the game, and an eventual share of the spoils at 1-1.

The successful penalties were converted by Ivan Rakitic and Luka Sucic, though the latter also missed a spot kick after teenager Karim Adeyemi had earlier missed the target with his effort.


Young Boys 2-1 Manchester United

Jordan Siebatcheu
Young Boys snatched victory in stoppage time / Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

There was a major shock to open up Group F as underdogs Young Boys fought back from a goal down to beat 10-man Manchester United 2-1.

United were handed the lead early on by Cristiano Ronaldo, who else, as he netted his 135th Champions League goal in his record breaking 177th appearance in the competition. But things took a sour turn for the Red Devils just before half-time when Aaron Wan-Bissaka was shown a straight red card for a dangerous lunge.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reacted by bringing on Raphael Varane and Diogo Dalot to form a five-man defence, but they were pegged back by an equaliser from Cameroon winger Moumi Ngamaleu.

Having looked likely to hold on, United threw it away in stoppage as Jesse Lingard's misplaced back pass allowed Jordan Siebatcheu to nip in and send the home fans wild.

Read Man Utd's player ratings here.


Lille 0-0 Wolfsburg

Jonathan David, Burak Yılmaz
Lille had a goal ruled out against Wolfsburg / Lars Baron/Getty Images

Reigning Ligue 1 champions Lille had the better of their Group G clash against VfL Wolfsburg but were unable to break the deadlock in a 0-0 draw.

The visitors were reduced to 10-men just after the hour mark when John Brooks was sent off after collecting two yellow cards, the second for handball. But despite their numerical advantage, Lille couldn't break the deadlock - with just four of their 17 shots in the match on target - though they did have a goal chalked off by VAR.

The Germans, meanwhile, didn't have a shot on target, but head back to their 100% Bundesliga winning record with a Champions League point safely tucked under their belt.


Villarreal 2-2 Atalanta

Arnaut Danjuma, Gerard Moreno
Arnaut Danjuma was on the scoresheet for Villarreal / Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images

An entertaining Group F contest between Villarreal and Atalanta ended 2-2, handing Manchester United - who lost to Young Boys earlier in the night - a major boost.

The Italians hit the front early on through Remo Freuler but were pegged back six minutes before half-time when Manu Trigueros Munoz levelled the scores. It was Unai Emery's Europa League holders who hit the front next, the lead handed to them by Arnaut Danjuma, a summer signing from Bournemouth.

But Gian Piero Gasperini's side were not to be denied a point in what was an even game statistically. Robin Gosens was the player to score seven minutes from time, and there was still time for former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin to be sent off after receiving two yellow cards.


Chelsea 1-0 Zenit

Romelu Lukaku, Stanislav Kritsyuk
Lukaku's header crept in at the far post / Clive Rose/Getty Images

Champions League holders Chelsea got off to the best possible start, but their opening 1-0 win over Zenit was a bigger struggle than Thomas Tuchel would have liked it to be.

The German was missing a couple of key players through injury, namely N'Golo Kante, but he did have Romelu Lukaku leading the Blues line for the first time in Europe.

Ultimately, it was the Belgian who was the difference maker, nodding home Cesar Azpilicueta's cross from deep to send the Stamford Bridge faithful home happy.

Read Chelsea's player ratings here.


Malmo 0-3 Juventus

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Paulo Dybala was on the scoresheet for Juventus / ANDREAS HILLERGREN/Getty Images

Juventus forgot about their domestic woes with a routine 3-0 win over Malmo in Group H.

The Bianconeri took the lead midway through the first half when Alex Sandro stooped low to head in before Paulo Dybala converted from the penalty spot after Alvaro Morata had been taken down. The Spaniard was then on hand to make it three before half-time, with the second half played out in cruise control.

Next up is a clash with holders Chelsea at the Allianz Stadium.

Read Juventus' player ratings here.


Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich

It was men against boys at Camp Nou as Bayern Munich completely outclassed Barcelona to pick up a 3-0 win in Group E.

The Bavarians did not allow their illustrious opponents a single shot on target and were dominant from start to finish.

They had to wait a while for their first goal, however, and it actually arrived in slightly fortuitous circumstances; Thomas Muller's curling shot deflecting wickedly off Eric Garcia to leave Marc-Andre ter Stegen stranded. It was then over to Robert Lewandowski, who showed how good he is in the box with two goals any predatory striker would have been proud of.

First, he reacted quickest to Jamal Musiala's shot hitting the post to poke home, before he again latched on to Serge Gnabry striking the woodwork to smash past Ter Stegen. It was the 18th consecutive game he has scored in, and incredibly the 28th and 29th goals he's scored in that time.

Read player ratings for Barcelona & Bayern Munich here.


Dynamo Kyiv 0-0 Benfica

Dynamo Kyiv
Dynamo Kyiv thought they had a stoppage time winner - until VAR intervened / GENYA SAVILOV/Getty Images

The other game in Group E pitted Dynamo Kyiv and Benfica against one another, though sadly the action was not as free flowing in the Ukrainian capital.

Benfica enjoyed the lion's share of possession - 68% in fact - but weren't able to break down their stubborn hosts despite having 12 efforts on goal. Things almost got away from the Portuguese giants in stoppage time when Dynamo though they had scored an injury time winner.

But Denys Harmash was deemed to be offside in the build-up, ensuring the game finished goalless with a point each.


Wednesday

Besiktas 1-2 Borussia Dortmund

Jude Bellingham
It was the Bellingham show in Istanbul / Alex Grimm/Getty Images

It was the Jude Bellingham show in Istanbul as Dortmund saw off a stubborn Besiktas side to get off to a winning start in Group C.

First, the 18-year-old controlled brilliantly and volleyed home to open the scoring after 20 minutes, before turning provider later in the half with a fine assist from the byline for the inevitable Erling Haaland.

Besiktas did pull one back through a Francisco Montero header in added time at the end of the game, but it was too little, too late.

Read player ratings for Borussia Dortmund here.


Sheriff 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk

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This was arguably the shock of the week / SERGEI GAPON/Getty Images

The shock of the gameweek came in Group D in Tiraspol, a city located in the unrecognised Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, as Sheriff defeated seasoned European campaigners Shakhtar.

Adama Traore netted a stunning acrobatic opener early on, with the assist from Cristiano - no, not the Traore and Cristiano you're thinking of.

Momo Yansane then doubled the lead and sent the home crowd into raptures shortly after the hour mark. A historic victory for the hosts.


Inter 0-1 Real Madrid

FC Internazionale vs Real Madrid - UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid snatched it late in Milan / Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Remarkably, Sheriff top Group D after matchweek one, but European giants Real Madrid ensured they joined the minnows on maximum points with a late victory in Milan.

Inter threw everything at Los Blancos in the first half, but couldn't find a breakthrough with Thibault Courtois making a number of fine saves.

Ultimately, two Madrid substitutes would decide this heavyweight encounter, with new signing Eduardo Camavinga teeing up Rodrygo to volley home a last-minute winner.

Read player ratings for Inter & Real Madrid here.


Atletico Madrid 0-0 FC Porto

Mehdi Taremi, Jan Oblak
Taremi paid the price for a handball / Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

It was an ill-tempered but entertaining goalless draw to get the Iberian pair's Group B campaign underway in the Spanish capital, with nine yellows and a red dished out by the referee.

Porto's Otavio almost opened the scoring the the second half, hitting the post with a misplaced cross, while Joaquin Correa was brilliantly denied by Diogo Costa at the other end.

The key moment arrived in the 80th minute when Mehdi Taremi was deemed to have handled when bundling the ball into an empty net for the visitors. It looked a harsh one.

There was still time for Chancel Mbemba to be given his marching orders in added time, receiving a straight red for clattering Antoine Griezmann as the last man.


Club Brugge 1-1 PSG

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MNM could not make the difference / KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/Getty Images

A first start together for superstars Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar made no odds in Brugge as Paris Saint-Germain were frustrated by their hosts.

Mbappe was the provider as PSG took the lead after a quarter of an hour through the suddenly free-scoring Ander Herrera.

However, the Belgians equalised shortly after; Eduard Sobol was the architect, firing a cross-field pass to captain Hans Vanaken, who smashed the ball home. Although Messi would hit the bar, the Parisians could not find a winner.

Read player ratings for PSG here.


Liverpool 3-2 Milan

Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez, Andrew Robertson
Henderson's stunner won it / Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Champions League football returned to Anfield with a bang as two storied European giants locked horns in Group B.

Milan snatched the lead in the first half with a two-goal salvo shortly before the break after Fikayo Tomori had deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper and Mohamed Salah missed a penalty.

However, Salah would make amends early in the second half with the equaliser before Jordan Henderson scored the winner with 20 minutes remaining courtesy of a stunning long-range effort.

Read player ratings for Liverpool & Milan here.


Manchester City 6-3 RB Leipzig

Jack Grealish
It was a night to remember for Jack Grealish / James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images

It was a topsy-turvy night at the Etihad as City eventually saw off their gung-ho opponents in PSG's Group A, despite a hat-trick from Christopher Nkunku.

City were 3-1 up at half-time but were pegged back twice by Nkunku after the break before strikes from Joao Cancelo and Gabriel Jesus finally put the game beyond the Bundesliga outfit.

Jack Grealish marked his Champions League debut with an assist for Nathan Ake's opener before adding a fine solo goal to make it 4-2 ten minutes into the second period.

Read player ratings for Man City here.


Sporting 1-5 Ajax

UEFA Champions League"Sporting CP v Ajax Amsterdam"
Haller had the game of his life / ANP Sport/Getty Images

Not a match that Sebastien Haller will forget anytime soon.

The Ivorian netted four times as Ajax routed a sorry-looking Sporting side in Lisbon, getting their Group C campaign off to an absolute flyer.

The former West Ham man had two within the first ten minutes with a header and right-footed effort, and he made it a perfect hat-trick shortly after the break, tapping home with his left, before adding another shortly after for good measure.