Zagreb stun Arsenal as Roma hold Barça
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| AFP |
European minnows Dinamo Zagreb shocked ten-man Arsenal 2-1 on Wednesday to win for the first time in 16 UEFA Champions League matches. Reigning champions Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw at Roma while Chelsea thumped Maccabi Tel-Aviv 4-0.
An Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal and a header from Junior Fernandes gave Dinamo three points as France forward Olivier Giroud was dismissed for two first-half bookings for Arsenal. Theo Walcott gave the Gunners hope 11 minutes from time with a cool, low finish from Alexis Sanchez's pass, but it was too little too late as Dinamo earned their first ever win over an English side.
In Rome, Barcelona opened the scoring on 21 minutes as Uruguay forward Luis Suarez headed home at the back post from a yard out after he was found by Ivan Rakitic. But ten minutes later, full-back Alessandro Florenzi spotted Marc-Andre ter Stegen off his line and lobbed him in spectacular fashion from more than 40 yards out and wide on the right.
Chelsea finally kick-started their season as Jose Mourinho's outfit cruised to victory. The Blues could even manage to miss a first half penalty through Edin Hazard before Brazilians Willian and Oscar, and Spaniards Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas earned the Londoners three Group G points.
Thomas Muller was a somewhat fortunate match-winner as Bayern Munich began their Group F campaign with a 3-0 success at Olympiakos. Muller mishit his cross from the right and it looped over goalkeeper Roberto Gago and into the top corner. Late on Mario Gotze scored a second from a tight angle and Mueller rounded off the scoring in injury time from the penalty spot.
Brazilian Hulk was the star as Zenit St. Petersburg not only avoided defeat in Spain for the first time but came away from Valencia with a 3-2 win. Hulk opened the scoring on nine minutes with a low cross shot before thrashing home a stunning second that was hit with such force from 25 yards, it went straight through Valencia goalkeeper Jaume's hand.
Valencia pulled level through Joao Cancelo's deflected strike and substitute Andre Gomes' shot from a tight angle. But Axel Witsel cracked home the winner for the Russians on 76 minutes.
Bayer Leverkusen started their Group E campaign with a fine 4-1 victory over BATE Borisov with Haka Calhanoglu scoring a brace. Javier Hernandez and Admir Mehmedi also found the net for the Germans, while Nemanja Milunovic scored for the Belarussians.
Vincent Aboubakar scored a double for Porto but Vitaliy Buyalsky equalised a minute from time for Dynamo Kiev, who had opened the scoring through Oleg Gusev in a 2-2 draw in Ukraine.
Debutants Gent had goalkeeper Matz Sels to thank for saving a last-gasp Alexandre Lacazette penalty as the Belgians earnt a 1-1 draw at home to Lyon. Christophe Jallet opened the scoring in the Group H encounter before Danijel Milicevic equalised for Gent, who finished with nine men after the dismissals of Brecht Dejaegere and Thomas Foket.