Image: Paolo Bruno
Alessandro Florenzi stunned the Stadio Olimpico with a strike from 60-yards to cancel out Luis Suarez’s opener, as the defending champions were held 1-1 by a resilient Roma side. After a horror start to the domestic campaign, Chelsea went all guns blazing against minnows Maccabi Tel Aviv to win 4-0 at Stamford Bridge. Olivier Giroud saw red as underdogs Dinamo Zagreb recorded a deserving win over favourites Arsenal.
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Holders Barcelona were handed a tricky opening fixture and Roma showed their class as the two sides battled it out for a draw. Lionel Messi completed his century of Champions League appearances but endured a frustrating night as the Argentine failed to find the back of the net, leaving him three behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the all-time scoring charts. Luis Suarez opened the scoring when he nodded in Ivan Rakitic’s cross from close-range but it was the unlikely Alessandro Florenzi who stole the headlights with his wonder goal. The left-back Florenzi dispossessed Jordi Alba in his own-half and after seeing no possible options around him, unleashed a riveting right-footed shot over the stranded ter Stegen which looped into the back of the net off the post to send the home supporters into a frenzy.
Photo: Mark Greenwood/IPS/REX
Chelsea emphatically dismissed Israeli outfit Maccabi Tel Aviv at Stamford Bridge but the Blues didn’t have the best start possible, as Eden Hazard’s sent an early penalty flying over the crossbar, thus continuing his dismal run of form. Willian opened the scoring, when his free-kick from distance fooled the Tel Aviv ‘keeper and once the Blues were in the lead, there was no way the English champions would allow the visitors a chance back into the game. After Diego Costa was fouled inside the box, Oscar stepped up to take the spot-kick and converted with ease to double his side’s lead. Costa volleyed home the third off Cesc Fabregas’ cross, who scored an easy tap-in late on to make it 4-0.
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Arsene Wenger’s rotation policy backfired at the Maksimir Stadium, as home side Dinamo Zagreb effectively kept Arsenal’s front-men at bay to register a well-deserved 2-1 victory. Dinamo took the lead when Josip Pivaric’s initial shot was saved by Ospina but rebounded in off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Olivier Giroud, who has faced criticism over the past few weeks for not being clinical enough in front of goal and it wasn’t any different against Zagreb, as the Frenchman missed a host of chances before being booked for dissent. The forward, late in the first-half, let his frustration get the better of him as he blatantly fouled Pinto with a late challenge and was given his marching orders, leaving his team in a worse situation than before. In the 58th minute, Junior Fernandes doubled his side’s lead after a bit of lackluster marking by the Arsenal defence during a corner routine. Theo Walcott, reduced the deficit late on with a brilliant finish to give his side a glimmer of hope but Zagreb held on to extend their unbeaten run to 42 games, while Arsenal have a mountain to climb in order to qualify to the knockout stage.
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Other Results:
Group E
Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 BATE BorisoV
Group F
Olympiakos 0-3 Bayern Munich
Group G
Dynamo Kiev 2-2 FC Porto
Group H
KAA Gen 1-1 Lyon
Valencia 2-3 Zenit St Petersburg
