Kairat Almaty’s debut in the league phase of the Champions League was ruined by conceding three goals in four second-half minutes as Sporting ran out 4-1 winners at the Estádio José Alvalade.
The visitors from the city of Almaty in south-eastern Kazakhstan undertook the longest journey ever recorded between two clubs in Champions League history, and they struggled to find their rhythm in the first half. Sporting were handed a penalty after 21 minutes when Aleksandr Mrynskiy brought down Luis Suárez, but Morten Hjulmand’s spot kick was kept out by 18-year-old Kairat goalkeeper Sherhan Kalmurza.
The hosts had to wait until the 44th minute for their breakthrough, when Francisco Trincao curled a left-footed strike into the top corner. Kairat tried to challenge their opponents after the break but they eventually ran out of energy around the hour mark. In the 65th minute, Sporting struck on the counter as Iván Fresneda broke into the box and squared for an unmarked Trincao, who slotted home his second.
Two minutes later, Alisson Santos sealed the result with Sporting’s third, firing a well-placed low shot from the edge of the area. Sporting’s four-minute frenzy concluded when Geovany Quenda showed fine footwork to move forward before picking out the bottom corner for their fourth in the 68th minute.
Four minutes from time, Edmilson pulled one back for Kairat with a superb volley.
Eintracht Frankfurt scored four times in 29 minutes to bounce back from a goal down and hammer Galatasaray 5-1.
The Turkish side had hit Frankfurt on the break with Yunus Akgün completing the move from a Leroy Sané assist in the eighth minute. Germany international Sané, who joined from Bayern Munich this season, became the only player in Champions League history to play for four or more clubs and score or assist on his debut for each of them.
Frankfurt, competing for only the second time in the Champions League main round, struggled to break through Galatasaray’s defence until a defensive error from Akgun in the 37th. Ritsu Doan pounced, charged into the box and Davinson Sánchez deflected the Japanese winger’s shot in for an own goal.
The hosts took the lead in first-half stoppage time when 19-year-old Turkey international Can Uzun scored a superb goal on his Champions League debut after fine control and a quick turn in the box. The hosts netted again before half-time with Jonathan Burkardt’s well-timed glancing header putting them 3-1 up.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Jonathan Burkardt, left, scores the fourth goal against Galatasaray.) Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP
With the visitors forced to take more risks after the break, Frankfurt found space and Burkardt completed his dream Champions League debut with another header in the 66th for his second goal of the evening. Ansgar Knauff completed the rout in the 75th.
Captain Hans Vanaken led from the front as Club Brugge recorded a 4-1 thumping of Monaco at the Jan Breydel Stadium to underline their potential for a good run in the competition.
Vanaken scored one and laid on another as the home side were superb in attack with Nicolò Tresoldi, Raphael Onyedika and 19-year-old Mamadou Diakhon also on target. Ansu Fati netted a late consolation for the visitors.
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Monaco had a chance from the penalty spot with the score at 0-0 after home goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was adjudged to have brought down Mika Biereth. But the 37-year-old Mignolet saved Maghnes Akliouche’s effort from 12 yards.
Tresoldi gave Brugge the lead in the 32nd minute from Vanaken’s clever pass into the box, and Onyedika turned the ball into the net from close range after being teed up by Carlos Forbs for a second. Vanaken’s trademark powerful shot into the net from the edge of the box made the scoreline 3-0 at half-time, and teenager Diakhon netted a fourth with 15 minutes remaining, his first goal for the club.
Bayer Leverkusen snatched a 2-2 draw at Copenhagen, rescued by a Pantelis Hatzidiakos own goal in stoppage time. The Danish hosts got the perfect start after nine minutes when Jordan Larsson met Elias Achouri’s cross to score and light up the Parken Stadium.
Leverkusen offered little in the first half, struggling to break down Copenhagen’s defence, while the home side created several chances, with only some fine goalkeeping from Mark Flekken preventing them doubling the lead.
But eight minutes from time Leverkusen pulled level from a free kick as Alejandro Grimaldo curled the ball over the wall into the net off the underside of the bar. The visitors’ relief was short-lived, as Robert restored Copenhagen’s lead five minutes later with a precise low header from a cross.
Leverkusen pressed for another equaliser and in stoppage time substitute Claudio Echeverri – on loan from Manchester City – broke into the box and his attempted cross deflected off Hatzidiakos into the net.
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