The second game day of week one is over. It gave us 35 yellow cards, 1 red and 24 goals.
GROUP E
Ajax v A.E.K. Athens
3-0
Nicolas Tagliafico was the star for Ajax. He scored two second-half goals, a 46th minute volley and a 90th minute tight angled 25 yard shot, as Ajax marked their return to the Champions League group stages with a 3-0 victory over AEK Athens. Donny van de Beek scored in the 77th to add a 3rd for the dutch side, who claimed victory in their opening group-stage match for the first time since 2002.
In a lackluster first half from both sides AEK came closest to scoring when Andre Simoes headed wide from a corner. Ajax were the much improved side in the second half and the 3-0 victory proves it.
Ajax finished the game with a whopping 67% of the possession.
The return game is on November 27th in Athens.
Up Next:
Eredivisie
PSV v Ajax – Sunday September 23rd (10:45am)
Superleague Greece
PAOK v AEK – Sunday September 23rd (1:30pm)
Champions League
Bayern v Ajax – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
A.E.K. Athens v Benfica – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
Benfica v Bayern Munich
0-2
Renato Sanches spent a disastrous spell on loan at Swansea. He marked his first appearance for Bayern Munich since then with a Champions League goal at former side Benfica. He started the move in his own half and finished it after converting from a James Rodriguez cross from close range. The 21yr old Sanches received a standing ovation from the home fans following the goal.
Robert Lewandowski scored the opening goal for the traveling German side.
Whilst Bayern did have the majority of the possession, Benfica managed to get in 14 shots, 4 of which were on target.
Benfica travel to Munich for the return leg on November 27th.
Up Next:
Primeria Liga
Benfica v Aves – Sunday September 23rd (1:30pm)
Bundesliga
Schalke v Bayern – Saturday September 22nd (12:30pm)
Champions League
A.E.K. Athens v Benfica – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
Bayern v Ajax – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
GROUP F
Shakhtar Donesk v 1899 Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann became the youngest coach in Champions League history. The 31 year old only had to wait 6 minutes to see his side score their first goal in the competition, with Florian Grillitsch getting the honors.
Shakhtar responded to going a goal down with a solo effort from Ismaily in the 27th minute, the Brazilian charged down the left wing before leaving defender Havard Nordtveidt in the dust as he cut inside and placed a shot inside the far post.
The German’s restored their lead when Nordtveidt scored from a corner in the 38th minute. Andrej Kramaric came close to getting a third for Hoffenheim in the second half.
Hoffenheim did well to survive a second half onslaught from the Turkish team but they could only do so much and eventually Maycon equalized from a long-range shot in the 81st minute.
Hoffenheim host the Turks in the return leg November 27th.
UP Next:
Ukrainian Premier League
Donetsk v Chornomorets Odesa – Sunday September 23rd (10am)
Bundesliga
Hoffenheim v Dortmund – Saturday September 22nd (10am)
Champions League
Lyon v Donetsk – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
Hoffenheim v Man City – Tuesday October 2nd (12:55pm)
Manchester City v Lyon
1-2
The Premier League champions had a poor start to their Champions League campaign, losing 2-1 at home to Lyon.
Maxwel Cornet put the French visitors ahead after Fabian Delph failed to clear Nabil Fekir‘s cross.
Some bookmakers have City as favorites to win this season’s competition, but the Manchester club fell further behind before half-time – Lyon captain Fekir found the net from 25 yards after City’s Fernandinho gave the ball away inside his own half.
Bernardo Silva gave hope to the hosts after he was picked out by Leroy Sane, but City had too many lackluster spells and were unable to avoid their first defeat of the season.
City now sit bottom of the group after the other Group F game finished 2-2. They also became the first English side in Champions League history to lose four consecutive matches in the competition having been beaten in last season’s last-16 second leg by Basel, as well as both legs of the quarter-final against Liverpool.
City will travel to France for the second leg on November 27th.
Up Next:
Premier League
Cardiff v Man City – Saturday September 22nd (10am)
Ligue 1
Lyon v Marseille – Sunday September 23rd (3pm)
Champions League
Hoffenheim v Man City – Tuesday October 2nd (12:55pm)
Lyon v Donetsk – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
GROUP G
Real Madrid v AS Roma
3-0
Reigning champions Real Madrid got their Champions League season up and running with a comfortably 3-0 win over Roma. In a game they dominated, it did take them until 45th minute to open the scoring with Isco curling one home from 25 yards out. Welshman Gareth Bale added a second when he connected with Luka Modric‘s excellent through ball. Mariano Diaz struck late on from 20 yards for a well deserved Madrid third goal.
Roma were semi-finalists last season but they didn’t look to be in the game much of the time. Their only really chance came from Cengiz Unde who forced a good diving saving from Keylor Navas.
Both teams are still favorites to proceed from Group G, with Viktoria Plzen and CSKA Moscow being the other two teams.
The Spanish giants will face the Italians in Roma on November 27th for the return leg.
Up Next:
La Liga
Real Madrid v Espanyol – Saturday September 22nd (2:45pm)
Serie A
Bologna v Roma – Sunday September 23rd (9am)
Champions League
CSKA v Real Madrid – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
Roma v Plzen – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
Viktoria Plzen v CSKA Moscow
2-2
Two of the Champions League’s underdogs put on an enthralling display of football. Limbersky and Krmencik were the stars for the home side, with Krmencik scoring both the Czech side’s goals. Vlasic proved to be the key player for CSKA scoring from a penalty deep in to stoppage time to secure the point and a draw for the Russians.
The Russian visitors came from 2-0 down. The hosts seemed pretty dominating for a large part of the game, going ahead after 29 minutes and then doubling their lead in the 41st.
CSKA came out fighting in the second half when Vlasic crossed for a Fedor Chalov goal in the 49th minute. CSKA thought they had equalized twice in the latter stages but one effort was ruled out for offside and the other for a foul in the buildup. It was only in the 95th minute when Jan Kovarik conceded a penalty that the Russian’s equalized.
The return game in Russia on November 27th is set to be quite the spectacle, especially with both teams expected to be battling it out for third place in the group and a Europa League spot.
Up Next:
Czech First League
Jablonec v Plzen – Monday September 24th (12pm)
Russian Premier League
CSKA V Spartak Moskva – Sunday September 23rd (12pm)
Champions League
Roma v Plzen – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
CSKA v Real Madrid – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
GROUP H
Valencia v Juventus
2-0
In his Champions League debut for Juventus, former Real Madrid captain Cristiano Ronaldo was controversially sent off. Part way through the first half the Portuguese appeared to grab Valencia defender Jeison Murillo‘s hair when they tangled off the ball. Referee Felix Brych consulted the official behind the goal before showing the five-time winner a straight red card, leaving the 32 year old tearful. It is his first sending off in 154 appearances in the competition.
If they decide not to appeal the red card it would mean he’d miss a return to Old Trafford, somewhere he’s always loved playing and says is always in his heart, as well as the second leg against Manchester United back in Italy.
The man disadvantage did not phase Juventus as they took the lead on the stroke of half time with a penalty converted by Miralem Pjanic. Shortly after half time the Bosnian midfielder slotted home another penalty, giving them a 2-0 lead.
Valencia had a chance to get on the scoresheet when they were awarded a penalty in stoppage time, but Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny denied Daniel Parejo preserving the Italians’ clean sheet.
Juve will host the La Liga side November 27th for the 2nd leg.
Up Next:
La Liga
Villareal v Valencia – Sunday September 23rd (10:15am)
Serie A
Frosinone v Juve – Sunday September 23rd (2:30pm)
Champions League
Man U v Valencia – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
Juve v Young Boys – Tuesday October 2nd (12:55pm)
Young Boys v Manchester United
0-3
Paul Pogba scored twice in the first half to give the visitors a somewhat comfortable lead going in at halftime. The Frenchman was inventive and precise for his first goal after linking with Fred, finding the top left corner from 18 yards out. He then doubled his goal tally for the night with a penalty after Young Boys defender Kevin Mbabu was deemed to have handled Luke Shaw‘s cross in the box.
Anthony Martial finished the job midway through the second period with a strike that deflected past Young Boys goalkeeper David von Ballmoos.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for the Manchester club as they initially struggled to find their footing on the Swiss side’s artificial pitch. They were also without captain and defender Antonio Valencia because of the pitch, in a previous Champions League campaign, they played on an artificial pitch to which he had an allergic reaction to, so they didn’t want to risk it happening again.
The home club were spurred on my constant singing, chanting and drumming from their very passionate fans, forcing United’s goalkeeper David De Gea to make some impressive saves from Mohamed Ali Camara and Christian Fassnacht. They also saw former PSG forward Guillaume Hoarau headed wide early on, but as soon as Pogba scored his first it was all Manchester United.
The Swiss side will travel to Manchester for the return game on November 27th.
Up Next:
Swiss Super League
Young Boys v Basel – Sunday September 23rd (10am)
Premier League
Manchester United v Wolverhampton – Saturday September 22nd (10am)
Champions League
Juve v Young Boys – Tuesday October 2nd (12:55pm)
Man U v Valencia – Tuesday October 2nd (3pm)
All times Eastern U.S.
Artistry of Sport 
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