2016/17 UEFA Champions League – Round 1/Day 1

September 13, 2016

Paris Saint-Germain      1-1   Arsenal

Edinson Cavani 1’                   Alexis Sanchez 78’

Edinson Cavani opened the scoring inside the first minute of the match. Had he not been wasteful in front of the goal, Cavani could have had a hattrick in this match.

It is believed that PSG made managerial changes just to win this competition, so it is not the best result for the team to be coming from their first match of the UEFA Champions League with a draw at home to Arsenal.

Alexis Sanchez’s equalizer in the 78th minute gave Arsenal a point to take back to England.

Basel                     1-1               Ludogorets Razgrad

Renato Steffen 80’                  Jonathan Cafu 45’

Renato Steffen scored for Basel to prevent a home loss in their opening UCL match against Ludogorets.

Dynamo Kyiv                1-2                    Napoli

Denis Garmash 26’                                 Arkadiusz Milik 36’ 45’+2

Arkadiusz Milik scored twice in the first half to bring Napoli from a goal down to a goal up to win away at Dynamo Kyiv.

Benfica                       1-1              Besiktas

Franco Cervi 12’                          Anderson Talisca 90’+ 3

Benfica will be regretting the loaning of Anderson Talisca to Besiktas.

After trailing for about 81 minutes, Anderson Talisca late free kick goal gave Besiktas a massive point away at Benfica.

Barcelona                                7-0                 Celtic

Lionel Messi 3’, 27’ 60’

Neymar 50’

Andres Iniesta 59’

Luis Suarez 75’ 88’

Neymar assisted four goals and scored a beautiful free kick. Luis Suarez had a brace and Messi got another hattrick to add to his individual tally.

It couldn’t have been an easier match for FC Barcelona.

Celtic was thrashed by an FC Barcelona team that was coming from a domestic defeat to a team that they should have beaten with ease. Barcelona’s home defeat to Deportivo Alaves over the weekend must have woken up the team to the importance of finishing off your opposition regardless of what the statistics say about them.

An early goal from Lionel Messi set the mode for the match. Moussa Dembele had an opportunity through a penalty kick to equalize for Celtic, but he wasted the chance. It was a massive chance to pass up.

Barcelona was two goals up at the half and turned on the style after the restart. Andres Iniesta was introduced into the match to replace Ivan Rakitic. Iniesta rewarded the fans by scoring Barcelona’s fourth goal. He finished off a wonderful cross from Neymar with a volley just as wonderful.

It perfect performance for Barcelona, something they needed to help forget the weekend they had.

(Manchester City – Borussia Monchengladbach )+postponed due to bad weather+

Bayern Munich                   5-0           Rostov

Robert Lewandowski 28’

Thomas Muller 45’+2

Joshua Kimmich 53’ 60’

Juan Bernat 90’

Not a shock that Bayern Munich at home will finish off Rostov. The 5-0 scoreline is not a shock either.  The usual suspect Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring with a penalty in the 28th minute. Thomas Muller doubled it before the break.

By the 60th minute, Joshua Kimmich had double the score for Bayern with a brace. Any hope Rostov had was dashed.

Juan Bernat put the icing on the cake for Bayern when he scored his 90th-minute goal.

PSV Eindhoven        0-1     Atletico Madrid

                                               Saul Niguez 43’

Late action in the first half decided this match.

Saul Niguez volleyed goal in the 43rd minute was enough to give Atletico Madrid maximum points at PSV.

A few minutes later, PSV had an opportunity to cancel the score with a penalty kick. A Jan Oblak save denied Andres Guardado the chance to take advantage of the opportunity.