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regular-article-logo Sunday, 22 December 2024

Jonathan David helps Lille earn 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid in Champions League

Salah does the star-turn; 10-man Juve hold off Leipzig; Humiliation for Atletico

Reuters Lille Published 04.10.24, 10:15 AM
A dejected Kylian Mbappe walks past as Lille players celebrate their win over Real Madrid in the Champions League in Lille on Wednesday

A dejected Kylian Mbappe walks past as Lille players celebrate their win over Real Madrid in the Champions League in Lille on Wednesday Reuters

A first-half penalty earned Lille a shock 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase on Wednesday, ending the 15-time European Cup winners’ 14-game unbeaten run in the competition.

Jonathan David of Lille converted from the spot three minutes into first-half stoppage time to hand Real, who had not lost in their previous 36 matches in all competitions, their first defeat since January.

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The result put Ligue 1 side Lille on three points from two games in the new format of Europe’s premier club competition.

Real, who won their opening match against VfB Stuttgart, are also on three points.

“On the penalty, I try to focus, to keep calm to take a good shot but I’m confident when it comes to taking penalties,” David said. “It has not sunk in yet but it’s a memorable night.”

Real keeper Andriy Lunin said his team had lacked their usual aggression.

“It’s difficult to analyse right after. (We lacked) aggression, creativity, in the end, what we always have,” he said.

“To fight a bit more. In the second half we showed more desire, but in the first half we were worse, that’s obvious. We want to win because we know what colours we’re playing in. But that’s OK. Courage, keep working and prepare for the next game.”

Carlo Ancelotti’s side started with Kylian Mbappe, who joined from Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in June, on the bench after the France captain picked up a muscle injury last week.

Ancelotti sent Mbappe and Luka Modric on to replace Endrick and Eder Militao and Lille survived a late Real onslaught to hang on for the victory.

In another match, Aston Villa shocked Bayern Munich 1-0, thanks to a brilliant late Jhon Duran goal as the hosts celebrated in style their first home game in Europe’s elite club competition for 41 years.

With Bayern dominating possession but squandering chances, Duran ran onto a high ball in the 79th minute, spotted goalkeeper Manuel Neuer off his line, and scooped the ball over him to send Villa Park into delirium.

It was the 20-year-old Colombian striker’s fifth goal from the bench this season after four in the Premier League.

Reds prevail

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah set up one goal before bagging his 49th in the Champions League in a 2-0 win over Italian side Bologna at Anfield that kept Arne Slot’s team perfect with their second win in the competition.

A rousing atmosphere greeted Slot and his players in their first game at Anfield in Europe’s top competition after a year away. Slot’s men had beaten AC Milan 3-1 away in their opener, and Liverpool did not disappoint, with Alexis Mac Allister scoring in the 11th minute, tapping in Salah’s pinpoint cross from close range.

Bologna made a game of it, however, and there was an element of relief around Anfield when Salah blasted home the winner in the 75th minute.

Mac Allister’s first goal of the season came less than two minutes after Bologna’s Thijs Dallinga slotted the ball past Alisson, but his effort was disallowed for offside.

After narrowly missing several scoring chances, Reds talisman Salah finally connected, touching the ball past Juan Miranda before curling a rocket into the top corner.

It was the eighth win in nine games across all competitions for Slot since he replaced Juergen Klopp.

Atletico trounced

Benfica’s Kerem Akturkoglu, Angel Di Maria, Alexander Bah and Orkun Kokcu scored in a 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid on Wednesday to start their campaign with two consecutive wins.

A mistake by Atletico’s defence helped Akturkoglu open the scoring in the 13th minute and, after the hosts squandered several chances, including a strike off the post by Vangelis Pavlidis, another error ended with a penalty which Di Maria converted.

Bah extended Benfica’s lead with a header from a corner in the 75th minute and Kokcu completed the rout against Diego Simeone’s side from the penalty spot after Reinildo Mandava fouled substitute Zewki Amdouni.

Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak made a couple of stunning saves to deny late efforts which saved the visitors from a even worse humiliation.

Spirited Juventus

Juventus showed great spirit to shrug off two early injuries and a red card to their keeper Michele Di Gregorio and secure a brave 3-2 comeback win over RB Leipzig.

Juve had to fight back twice from a goal down before securing the win with a late goal from Francisco Conceicao.

“I’m really happy, especially for the team,” said Juve forward Dusan Vlahovic, who twice equalised for the Italian side.

They were down to 10 men when keeper Di Gregorio was dismissed with a straight red card on the hour for a handball outside the box.

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