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Champions League match day one round up

Roar Rookie
14th September, 2016
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Bayern Munich secured a vital win in the Champions League. (TOPSHOTS/AFP PHOTO/ODD ANDERSEN)
Roar Rookie
14th September, 2016
0

There’s nothing quite like getting up at 4:30am on a Wednesday morning for the start of a new Champions League season only to find out that the Etihad has been turned into a swimming pool.

As much as I’d like to pin the blame somehow on Yaya Toure, the gods ensured there’d be no live football on free-to-air.

Shame though it was, the kettle was boiled and there were seven other tasty fixtures to welcome the sunrise with.

Paris Saint-Germain pegged back by Arsenal in Paris
An Edison Cavani goal some 40 seconds into the game saw Arsenal begin their 2016-17 campaign in much the same way as they played their last.

It was a largely uninspiring half from the Gunners which saw some crisp passing, but almost no penetration in the final third.

Alexis Sanchez looked isolated up top, and he wasn’t helped by the Arsene Wenger’s game plan.

Whipping in crosses from out wide might work wonders with Giroud as your target man, but Sanchez and co were thoroughly outmatched for height by the likes of Thiago Silva and Marquinhos.

Despite their unimpressive start to the domestic season, PSG looked comfortable in possession and were dangerous for the exact reason that Arsenal weren’t – a proper target in Edison Cavani.

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The Uruguayan enjoyed fantastic service from his wide men Blaise Matuidi and Serge Aurier, but in typical Cavani fashion he failed to capitalise on two good chances late in the second half that could have extended their advantage.

Arsenal certainly looked a better side in the second half after the introduction of Giroud for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with the Frenchman providing a real target up top and allowing Sanchez to drop into a deeper role.

And it was Sanchez who snatched the equaliser in the 78th minute – volleying home after Alex Iwobi’s effort had been parried out by Areola.

David Ospina proved his quality with an outstanding second half display – denying Cavani again and again. If only there’d been a lethal Swede around to bury those chances.

With the match coming to a close Giroud made clear just how much he didn’t fancy a trip to Basel for Arsenal’s next group game.

Having already picked up a yellow earlier on, Giroud blocked Verratti’s run in back play, earning himself a second yellow.

Astonishingly, and much to his surprise, Verratti also received a yellow (his second of the game) for the incident, and followed Giroud off down the tunnel.

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Blondes shine as Barcelona thrash Celtic
Celtic were well and truly welcomed back to the Champions League fold with a 7-0 thumping at the hands of Barcelona.

If there was ever an indicator that the standard of Scottish football isn’t where it once was (and to be fair, we know that already) it was here – the defeat was Celtic’s heaviest ever in European football.

Barcelona’s blondes in Leo Messi (what were you thinking mate?) and Neymar absolutely tore through the Scottish Champions, picking up four goals and five assists between them.

After conceding early on, Celtic had the chance to level things up from the spot but Moussa Dembélé’s stuttered run up and shot was well saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The sooner players cut these stupids gimmicky penalty’s out the better.

Barcelona showed their class throughout the match with some beautifully worked goals – Andres Inestia’s superb volley probably the pick of the bunch, but Neymar’s free kick and Suarez’s first also deserve mentions.

Bayern ease to win while Atleti hold off PSV
Bayern Munich started their Champions League campaign under new manager Carlo Ancelotti with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Russian side FC Rostov.

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Joshua Kimmich stole the headlines with a brace, while Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller and Juan Bernat all chipped in with a goal each.

The future looks bright for the versatile 21-year old defender Kimmich – extending his recent good run of form for club and country with his first and second Champions League goals.

Elsewhere in Group D, Saul’s first half scissor-kick from the edge of the area proved enough to guarantee Atletico Madrid three points in Eindhoven, but it was English referee Martin Atkinson who stole the show with a reportedly calamitous performance.

PSV will feel hard done by after Luuk de Jong’s early goal was disallowed for a push in the build-up – replays showing absolutely nothing in it.

Matters were made worse for the Dutch side when Andres Guardado’s penalty in first half stoppage time was expertly saved by Atletico’s Jan Oblak.

Wrapping it up
Basel and Ludogorets ensured that all teams in Group A go into the second round of group games on equal points after the sides played out a 1-1 draw in Basel.

Basel next face Arsenal at the Emirates, while Ludogorets welcome PSG in Razgrad.

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Napoli came from behind against Dynamo Kiev to top the standings in Group B, with Polish star Arkadiusz Milik bagging a double before half time, ensuring a 2-1 win after Denys Harmash’s 26th minute opener.

Meanwhile, Benfica failed to hold out Beskitas in Lisbon, with the Turkish side finding a goal at the death to draw 1-1.

Argentine Franco Cervi’s 12th minute effort for Benfica was cancelled out in stoppage time by a superb free kick from Brazilian Talisca.

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