UEFA Champions League Match Day 2: Highlights and Round Up

Last night, we saw the final matches of the first round of the 2017/2018 UEFA Champions League, and here are the brief highlights and scores as well as standings of the various teams in their respective groups: we kick off with an alphabetic arrangement of the groups.

Group E.

The match between Liverpool and Sevilla lived up to expectations as it gave off four goals in a thrilling encounter, the English and Spanish team had to settle for a share of points after full time as the scores ended 2-2. Sevilla had gone ahead as early as five minutes through a Wissam Ben Yedder goal but Firminho canceled it out and Salah put the Reds ahead with a deflected shot, they looked set to take all three points even despite Firminho hitting the woodwork from the penalty spot until Correa scored a sublime goal that even the scores and their progressing qualification odds. Maribor and Spartak Moscow also drew 1-1 after Damjan Bohar’s eighty fifth minute goal equalized Aleksandr Samendov’s goal for the visitors and ensured that the group remained equal on points.

Group F.

Manchester City went all out in the home of Feyenoord and the hosts could not capitalize on the all attack system the visitors employed and they went down early in the second minute of play with a John Stones goal before Aguero and Gabriel Jesus made it 3-0 before the interval and the record signing defender got his second of the night and the fourth for City. Shakhtar Donetsk punished Napoli’s slow start in the other fixture in the group and they had shocked the Italians with two goals before the hour mark and Akadiusz Milik’s goal from the spot kick helped them pull one back and console them with the score board showing 2-1. Feyenoord sit bottom of the group with Manchester City on top.

Group G.

FC Porto were lackluster throughout their game and could have began having some form of hope after Duko Tosic’s own goal helped them draw level but Cenk Tosun brought the lead back in favor of the visitors in the twenty first minute and the late strike from Ryan Babel ensured that Besiktas grabbed all the points on their visit to Portugal.  RB Leipzig hosted Monaco in one of the most anticipated match up of the first round and Emil Forsberg opened his Champions League scoring account for the Bundesliga thrillers but their excitement was short lived as Youri Tielemans equalized almost immediately for Monaco and that was that with goals in the match as they both settled for one points each, meaning that Besiktas takes an early lead in the group.

Group H.

Real Madrid would be more than happy to welcome back the dynamic Christiano Ronaldo who ensured they returned to winning ways by grabbing a brace before Sergio Ramos made it 3-0 with an audacious overhead kick inside the area as APOEL Nicosia were left stranded not mustering as much as three shots at goal. Tottenham Hotspur produced a remarkable performance against German League leaders Dortmund with Harry Kane scoring twice after Yarmolenko had earlier equalized Son’s opener with a stunning strike, though their win was marred by a red card on Vertonghen for a foul on Mario Gotze. Real Madrid go top with a goal difference between them and Tottenham.

With the first round done, who impressed and who disappointed? Let us know your thoughts.