The first installment of matches in Matchday 2 of the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League delivered in massive density, with shocking, expected, and damning results.
Red Bull Salzburg 0 – 2 Real Sociedad
Mikel oryarzabal raced the away side into the lead in the 7th minute, after receiving the ball off a well-worked assist from Brais Mendez.
The ball was set on a platter and Oryarzabal did what was expected of him, placing the ball into the bottom corner, beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.
In the 27th minute, Brias Mendez turned goalscorer, after Takefusa Kubo gave him the ball in Real Sociedad’s half of the field.
He capped his run into the penalty box of RB Leipzig, with a beautiful finish into the far corner, beating Alexander Schlager in goal for the Red Bulls.
Union Berlin 2 – 3 Sporting Braga.
It was an competitive evening at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, as Braga snatched a late victory in Germany.
It appeared like it was set to be a great day for Union Berlin, after Sheraldo Becker scored a brace in the first 37 minutes of proceedings.
Alex Kral spotted the run of Becker, and he delivered a great through-ball to the right side of the wings.
Sheraldo Becker ran down the right side of the area, before converting a beautiful goal to put the home side into the lead.
Forward Becker scored 7 minutes later, after Lucas Tousart sent a header to Becker, and the Suriname international did brilliantly to double his sides’ advantage.
However, Sikou Nikate, Bruma, and Andre Castro had other ideas, as they punished the home side.
Niakate scored in the 41st minute, while Bruma scored in the 51st minute off an assist from Ricardo Horta.
Andre Castro scored the killer goal in Germany off an assist from Bruma, piercing the hearts of Union Berlin’s supporters.
FC Copenhagen 1 – 2 Bayern Munich
It appeared like it was going to be a day of defeat for the Bavarians, after Copenhagen went in front in the 56th minute.
Lukas Lerager fired a half-volley past Sven Ulreich in goal for Bayern Munich to take the Danish club into the lead.
Anyway, Jamal Musiala scored the leveller for Bayern Munich, after receiving a well placed pass from Noussair Mazraoui.
Musiala did some nifty footwork into the area, before firing the ball into the bottom corner.
Mathyls Tel scored the killer goal in the 83rd minute, helping Thomas Tuchel’s side salvage another victory in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League.
Thomas Muller gave a nice pass to Tel in the 18-yard-box, and the teenager finished the chance with some aplomb.
Inter Milan 1 – 0 SL Benfica
The Nerazzurri picked up a smash-and-grab victory over Benfica, with Marcus Thuram scoring in the 62nd minute.
Thuram blazed home the ball after Denzel Dumfries set him up kindly, 12 yards from goal.
RC Lens 2 – 1 Arsenal
This game began like it was going to be a one-way victory for Mikel Arteta’s side, but they soon found out that RC Lens were also determined in their pursuit of success.
Gabriel Jesus took Arsenal ahead in the 14th minute, and he was set up by Bukayo Saka, who picked up a loose ball in Len’s half of the field.
Adrien Thomasson drew RC Lens level, with a great finish, running onto a knock-down from Elye Wahi and converting in style.
Wahi scored the all-important goal for Frank Haise’s side, with an outstanding strike to beat David Raya in goal for the Gunners. His brilliant strike came off a cross from Przemyslaw Frankowski.
Manchester United 2 – 3 Galatasaray, Napoli 2 – 3 Real Madrid
The game at Old Trafford and the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium ended in identical fashion with the away side securing a late victory over their hosts.
Manchester United had gone ahead through Rasmus Hojlund in the 17th minute, with a simple headed finish from close proximity. He was set up by Marcus Rashford.
Wilfred Zaha equalized for Galatasaray, before Rasmus Hojlund scored the second for the Red Devils in the 61st minute.
Kerem Akturkoglu equalized for the Turkish club in the 71st minute, and the could have come out victorious by a larger margin, if Mauro Icardi had converted a penalty in the 78th minute.
However, he still had ample time to redeem himself, as he chipped his esquisite effort over Andre Onana.
He has the calmness to run into Manchester United’s area 4 minutes after missing the spot kick after he received a headed assist from Davidson Sanchez.
2023/24 UEFA Champions League: Napoli V Real Madrid
Leo Ostigard scored the opener of the encounter, with a powerful header in the 19th minute.
Vinicius Jr equalized 6 minutes later, following a well laid pass from Real Madrid’s summer signing Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham took Los Blancos ahead in Naples in the 34th minute, with a brilliant solo effort, placing the ball into the bottom-right corner.
In the 54th minute, Piotr Zielinski made it 2-2, scoring a penalty to bring his side back into the game. However, Alex Meret scored an unfortunate own goal in the 78th minute and that was enough for Carlo Ancelotti’s side to return to Spain with the needed victory.
PSV Eindhoven 2 – 2 Sevilla
At the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven, both sides battled to an entertaining draw. Nemanja Gudelj fired in a well struck volley past Walter Benitez in goal for PSV Eindhoven in the 68th minute. He was ably assisted by Sergio Ramos.
Luuk De Jong equalized late on in the 86th minute, scoring a excellent penalty. But, in a twinkle of an eye, Sevilla went back into the lead.
Youssef En-Neysri nodded a bullet header into PSV Eindhoven’s net, following a well floated cross from Juanlu Sanchez.
However, the home side restored parity at the tail end of the game, with a well calculated finish from Jordan Teze.
