Bayern and Man United Cruise as Debutants Como Stun Leipzig in Champions League
Bayern Munich and Manchester United secured resounding 5-0 and 4-0 victories, while debutants Como stunned RB Leipzig 4-1 in the opening matchday of the Champions League.
The opening matchday of the Champions League concluded with the final six fixtures, highlighted by commanding victories for Bayern Munich and Manchester United, who celebrated 5-0 and 4-0 wins over Bodø/Glimt and Sabah respectively. Como also etched an unforgettable evening into the history books with a 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig in their first-ever appearance in the competition, while Lens completed a stunning stoppage-time comeback to beat Slavia Prague 3-2 in the Czech Republic.
Bayern Munich 5-0 Bodø/Glimt
Bayern Munich got their 43rd Champions League campaign off to a flying start, maintaining their impressive home record in the group and league stage, where they have not lost since 2013. The Bavarians, who were held by Schalke over the weekend after a run of 59 consecutive official matches in which they scored, struggled for a half against an exceptional Nikita Haikin. The Israeli goalkeeper denied Luis Díaz as early as the ninth minute and watched Joshua Kimmich hit the post in the 35th minute, but he sustained an injury near the end of the first half and could not continue after the break.
Without Haikin between the posts, Jamal Musiala put Bayern ahead just two minutes into the second half. Harry Kane doubled the lead in the 61st minute with a header from a Michael Olise free-kick, scoring in his eighth consecutive Champions League match. Alphonso Davies added a third in the 77th minute with a powerful strike from some 18 meters out, and Olise fired into the top corner from 20 meters in the 83rd minute before completing his brace in stoppage time to seal a 5-0 rout against the ten-man Norwegian side.
Manchester United 4-0 Sabah
Manchester United returned to the Champions League after a two-year absence and celebrated their 300th match in the competition—becoming the first English club to reach this milestone—with a comfortable victory. It is the Red Devils' 26th appearance in the Champions League, extending another English record, and they received precisely the evening they hoped for following a sluggish start to the domestic league season.
Azerbaijani champions Sabah held firm for 27 minutes at the Theater of Dreams before Matheus Cunha arrived first to a cross from Amad Diallo to tap in from close range. Sabah had a golden opportunity to equalize when Joy-Lens Mikels headed wide from just three yards out, but Bruno Fernandes doubled the lead in the 42nd minute following a pass from Youri Tielemans, and Benjamin Šeško made it 3-0 right before halftime after running onto a through ball from Bryan Mbeumo, rounding the goalkeeper, and rolling the ball into an empty net. Lisandro Martinez rounded off the scoring in the 68th minute after a scramble in the area.
Como 1-4 RB Leipzig
It was a historic evening for Como, who celebrated a victory in their Champions League debut. Cesc Fàbregas's side showed no stage fright, and Martin Baturina—son of former player Mate Baturina, who starred for Bnei Yehuda—scored the club's first-ever goal in the tournament in the 15th minute. Tasos Douvikas doubled the lead in the 38th minute following an assist by Baturina, sending Como into halftime with a comfortable cushion.
Assane Diao extended the lead to 3-0 in the 54th minute at the end of a brilliant counter-attack, just as RB Leipzig were beginning to assert control. Andrija Maksimović pulled one back five minutes later with a shot from outside the box, but Máximo Perrone restored the three-goal advantage in the 90th minute, securing an unforgettable victory for the Italian side in their maiden Champions League match.
