Manchester City, last season’s Champions League runners-up, crushed RB Leipzig 6-3 in a thrilling Group A game on Wednesday even though Christopher Nkunku scored a hat-trick for the German side.
Nkunku became only the fourth player to score a Champions League treble and end up on the losing side.
Defender Nathan Ake put City ahead in the 16th minute with a header from a Jack Grealish corner and the hosts doubled the lead 12 minutes later when Kevin De Bruyne produced wonderful skill to leave three defenders for dead before his deep cross was headed into his own net by Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele.
Leipzig got back in the game with a 42nd-minute header from Nkunku, only for City to restore their two-goal advantage on the stroke of halftime, with Riyad Mahrez scoring from a penalty following a Lukas Klostermann hand-ball.
Leipzig were not deterred, though, and Nkunku reduced the deficit again in the 51st minute by heading in a cross from the excellent Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo. Grealish then delivered a wonderful solo goal to mark his first European club appearance.
But once again French forward Nkunku kept the game alive, completing his hat-trick with a crisp drive after being set up by Yussuf Poulsen.
Incredibly, City responded immediately with an unstoppable long-range drive from Portuguese full back Joao Cancelo and any hopes the visitors had of a comeback ended when they went down to 10-men when former City full back Angelino was sent off in the 79th minute.
Substitute Gabriel Jesus added the sixth from close range five minutes from time.
Rare strike
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson struck a rare Champions League goal — only his second in the competition and first for seven years — to earn his side a 3-2 victory over AC Milan in a rip-roaring Group B opener at a rocking Anfield. Henderson rifled home in the 69th minute to settle an absorbing contest.
The home team took the early lead, thanks to a Fikayo Tomori own goal. But Milan struck twice in quick succession at the end of the first half with Ante Rebic and Brahim Diaz silencing the home crowd. Mohamed Salah then made amends for his earlier penalty miss by equalising from close range in the 49th minute, before Henderson scored the winning goal.
Rodrygo winner
Real Madrid substitute Rodrygo struck an 89th-minute winner to snatch a 1-0 Champions League group-stage victory away to Inter Milan, punishing the wasteful Italians for missing a string of chances.
The Brazilian met a cushioned pass from fellow replacement Eduardo Camavinga and volleyed home in the dying minutes as Carlo Ancelotti’s side triumphed against their major rivals for top spot in Group D.
