Football – Chelsea falls in Zagreb, Okafor makes Milan dance and City crushes Sevilla
Chelsea fall in Zagreb, Okafor makes Milan dance and City crush Sevilla
The Blues started their Champions League campaign badly, losing 1-0 to Dinamo. Salzburg and Noah Okafor drew against AC Milan and Manchester City won 4-0.
Author of a disappointing start to the season (6th in the Premier League) for a club which spent so much during the summer transfer window (300 million), Chelsea was not at all reassured for its entry into the running in the Champions League by going loses 0-1 in Zagreb, against Dinamo.
Out of qualifying, the Croats were first stifled by the very high pressing of the Blues, who could have opened the scoring if Aubameyang, established by Thomas Tuchel, had not sinned by excess of altruism (6th). But on the first incursion of the partners of Josip Drmic – which came into play in the last minute – in the London camp, Petkovic played his role of pivot to perfection in the central circle by deflecting the ball with his head after a pass from Ljubicic . Launched at full speed in depth, Orsic resisted the return of Fofana and slipped a subtle shot from the outside of the foot into the back of the net (13th). One but in three passes!
For the sixth game in a row, Chelsea therefore conceded a goal and could even have taken a second if Kepa had not diverted Ristovski’s magnificent kick (55th) to his post. Faced with this slump, Tuchel launched Ziyech (at half-time) then Broja and Jorginho. But none of the substitutes managed to breathe this extra soul into the Blues, who came up against a Livakovic in deciding late in the game, with the help of his post (James, 86th).
Noah Okafor goalscorer
In the evening, still in Pool E, AC Milan could not do better than a draw against Salzburg (1-1).
It was Noah Okafor, already four goals this season in the Austrian championship, who opened the scoring for his team in the 28th minute. The Swiss international in Kalulu had a cold with a small bridge before sliding the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Maignan.
The Milan equalizer came from the feet of Alexis Saelemaekers in the 40th minute.
The Brandt – Reus connection
During the other meeting at 6:45 p.m., in group G, Borussia Dortmund won without shaking against Copenhagen (3-0).
Carried by a sold-out Signal Iduna Park arena (81,365 spectators), Edin Terzic’s players made the difference at the end of the first half by exploiting two actions in offensive transition.
In the 35th minute, after a burst of initiative from defender Süle, Brandt eliminated several Danish elements with a sublime left-footed pass to Reus. The BvB captain eliminated Vavro with a hook before opening the scoring against goalkeeper Ryan.
Seven minutes later, after a nice one-two on the left of the surface with Reyna – entered earlier for the injured Thorgan Hazard -, Guerreiro scored the break goal for the Germans. Still on a pass from Reyna, Bellingham closed the scoring in the 83rd.
Double from Haaland
In the other Group G match, in Sevilla, Manchester City automatically won 4-0. Twenty-five goals in twenty Champions League matches is now the new staggering total of Erling Haaland, author of a double.
The 22-year-old Norwegian, who adapted perfectly to the Premier League with the Citizens (10 goals in 6 matchdays), became the fourth player in history to score in his first appearance for three different teams (Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City). The other three? Fernando Morientes, Javier Saviola and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, according to Opta.
The terror of the surfaces scored on receipt of a tense cross from Kevin De Bruyne (20th), then repeated after the hour mark (67th) following a repelled shot from Phil Foden. The other two but Mancunians were registered by the latter and Ruben Dias, neighbor of the new Swiss recruit Manuel Akanji in defense.
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