UEFA Champions League: Chelsea win, Barcelona held, Arsenal lose

Chelsea put their domestic woes behind them with a 4-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in their Champions League Group G encounter at Stamford Bridge this evening.

The hosts’ poor form looked to have followed them into Europe when Eden Hazard uncharacteristically blazed over from the spot after six minutes, but Willian’s free kick found its way in less than 10 minutes later to give them the lead.

Chelsea were awarded another spot kick on the stroke of half time which Oscar dispatched, and a fine volley from Diego Costa put the match beyond doubt before Cesc Fabregas added gloss to the score with a fourth.

Alessandro Florenzi scored a 60-yard stunner as Roma held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in their Group E opener in the Champions League.

Luis Suarez’s close-range header had sent the visitors ahead in the 21st minute, but a long-range strike from Florenzi ensured that the Italian side gained a share of the spoils.

Arsenal slipped to a shock 2-1 defeat against Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group stage match.

The Gunners fell behind when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain turned the ball into his own net after Josip Pivaric’s shot was saved by David Ospina.

Olivier Giroud was then sent off for picking up a second booking, before Junior Fernandes headed in from a corner to double Zagreb’s lead.

Theo Walcott pulled a goal back when he raced onto Alexis Sanchez’s through ball and slotted in, but the Gunners were unable to find an equaliser as their European campaign began on a losing note.

RESULTS

Group E

Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 BATE Borisov
Scorers: Mehmedi 4, Calhanoglu 47, 75 (pen) Hernandez 59 / Milunovic 13

Roma 1-1 Barcelona
Scorers: Florenzi 31 / Suarez 21

Group F

Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 Arsenal
Scorers: Chamberlain 23 (og), Fernandes 58 / Walcott 79

Olympiakos 0-3 Bayern Munich
Scorers: Mueller 52, 90 (pen) Goetze 89

Group G

Chelsea 4-0 Maccabi Tel Aviv
Scorers: Willian 15, Oscar 45, Costa 58, Fabregas 79

Dynamo Kyiv 2-2 FC Porto
Scorers: Gusev 20, Buyalsky 89 / Aboubakar 23, 81

Group H

Gent 1-1 Lyon
Scorers: Milicevic 68 / Jallet 58

Valencia 2-3 Zenit St. Petersburg
Scorers: Cancelo 58, Gomez 73 / Hulk 9, 45, Witsel 76

Copyright © Soccer24, 2024. All Rights Reserved
NEWS MATCHCENTRE TABLES VIDEOS