Bayern Munich began their Champions League campaign with a resounding 5-0 victory over Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt on Thursday in the first round of the unified group stage. Meanwhile, Manchester United cruised to a 4-0 win over Azerbaijani side Sabah, and Como impressed against RB Leipzig, defeating them 4-1 in their first-ever Champions League appearance.
At home in Munich, the Bavarian giants' goals came from Jamal Musiala (47'), Harry Kane (61'), Alphonso Davies (77'), and a brace from Michael Ulsilès (83' and 90+2').
The first half ended goalless, but Bodø/Glimt's Russian goalkeeper Nikita Khaykin was in fine form, making several crucial saves from Luis Díaz (5'), Kane (11'), Musiala (40'), and Joshua Kimmich (44'). Kimmich also saw his shot rebound off the right post (35').
The visitors suffered a blow when Khaiken was injured at the end of the first half, prompting coach Kjetil Knutsen to bring on substitute goalkeeper Julian Weilund at the start of the second half (46).
However, the substitute goalkeeper and his defense were helpless in the second half against the relentless attacking pressure from Vincent Kompany's men, conceding five goals.
The first goal came from Musiala, who fired a right-footed shot from the right side of the box (47).
Kane added the second with a header from inside the six-yard box (61).
This was Kane's 34th goal in 39 appearances for Bayern in the Champions League, and he has scored 10 goals in his last eight consecutive matches in the competition.
Davies scored the third with a powerful left-footed shot from the edge of the box (77).
Ulisse scored the fourth in spectacular fashion with a rocket of a left-footed shot from outside the area (83).
The French international winger capped off the goal fest with a fifth goal, a left-footed shot from inside the box (90+2).
- A resounding victory at Old Trafford -
Manchester United secured their return to the Champions League after a two-season absence with a resounding 4-0 victory over their modest Azerbaijani visitors, Sabah.
United sealed the win in the first half thanks to a hat-trick from Brazilian Matheus Cunha, Portuguese captain Bruno Fernandes (42), and Slovenian striker Benjamin Sisko (45), before adding a fourth goal in the second half through Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez (68).
Manager Michael Carrick guided his United side to their first victory in three years, since their 1-0 home defeat to Bayern Munich in the group stage on December 12, 2023, a loss that saw them finish bottom of their group and exit the competition in its old format empty-handed.
Cunha opened the scoring after converting a cross from Dane Patrick Djurgå from close range (27).
Fernandes doubled the lead after a well-worked team move and a pass from Belgian Youri Tielemans, which the Portuguese player finished with a low shot into the far corner (42). Then, striker Cechko, making his first start of the season, completed his team's hat-trick, latching onto a through ball from Cameroonian Bryan Mbeumo that left him one-on-one with the goalkeeper, whom he rounded and slotted into the empty net (45).
Martínez capped off the home side's dazzling scoring spree, capitalizing on a scramble in the penalty area to find the back of the net (68).
- A Dream Night in Como -
In their first-ever Champions League match, Como of Italy thrashed German visitors RB Leipzig 4-1.
The home side's goals were scored by Croatian Martin Baturina (15), Greek Anastasios Dovikas (38), Senegalese Assane Diao (54), and substitute Argentinian Maximo Peroni (90), while young Serbian Andrea Maksimovic (19 years old) scored Leipzig's lone goal (58).
Bacary Como opened the scoring through Baturina, who dribbled past several defenders before slotting the ball home with his right foot (15').
Baturina then set up Dovikas with a perfectly weighted through ball, and the Greek added a second (38').
Argentine Nico Bas provided a decisive pass to Diao, who finished off the scoring with a third (54').
Maksimovic pulled one back for Roma with a stunning left-footed strike from the edge of the box (58').
In the final minute, substitute Peroni completed the rout with a low left-footed shot from close range after another assist from Bas (90').
Roma marked their return to the competition for the first time since the 2018-2019 season with a 1-1 draw against their Turkish hosts, Fenerbahce.
Roma captain Bryan Cristante opened the scoring (39'), and Englishman Archie Brown equalized (48').
Lens snatched a dramatic 3-2 victory from their Czech hosts Slavia Prague, capitalizing on the latter being down to ten men.
The French side's goals came from Senegalese striker Abdoulaye Diop (73'), Florian Thauvin (90+1'), and substitute Ruben Aguilar (90+3'), while Slovenian Daniel Sturm scored both goals for the home side (51' and 88').
Defender Mikolaš Konieczny was sent off with a red card just four minutes after coming on as a substitute at halftime (49').
Meanwhile, PSV Eindhoven and their Ukrainian visitors Shakhtar Donetsk played out a 1-1 draw.
Venezuelan striker Gleick Mendoza opened the scoring for Shakhtar (45+1'), but American Sergiño Dest secured a point for the home side (48').
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