Champions League E-H: Brahimi and Porto Off to a Flier

With 126 players engaged internationally during this summer’s transfer window among the 16 clubs that took part in Wednesday’s Champions League group opening fixtures, the outcome turned into goal galore from Porto to London Munich to Rome, wherever in Europe.

And a little less than 2 months that Yacine Brahimi penned a £5.1m move from Grenada,the Algerian midfielder is already carving out a unique niche for himself at the magnificent Estadio Do Dragao.

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea were the better of two English Premier League outfits on parade, but none claimed maximum points.

Cesc Fabregas Scores His First Competitive Goal for Chelsea Against Schalke. Image: Getty.
Cesc Fabregas Scores His First Competitive Goal for Chelsea Against Schalke. Image: Getty.

Ivory Coast winger Gervinho- many thought was a tired leg when he left Arsenal for Rome- but fresh from signing a new one-year contract extension, the sequel would entice you nevertheless.

Group E

Bayern Munich 1-0 Manchester City

Tagged the battle of two European heavyweights and already a regular fixture in the group stages for quite as many seasons in recent times, even a standout performance from goalkeeper Joe Hart couldn’t deter the Allianz Arena hosts from claiming all three points.

Germany World Cup-winner Jerome Boateng stunned his former club on the nick of full-time, shooting home via deflection from 15 yards as the English champions failed to clear their lines from captain Philip Lahm’s deep cross.

Jerome Boateng Pumps His Fist After Sinking Man City.
Jerome Boateng Pumps His Fist After Sinking Man City.

Roma 5-1 CSKA Moscow

If it looked like the Bavarians had no liquor at their party; bet the Romans ordered for plenty rum at the Stadio Olimpicio, as Juan Iturbe, Gervinho (brace), Maicon and Sergei Ignashevich inspired a hugely impressive win over CSKA.

Nigeria international Ahmed Musa did well to scoop the ball into the net with 8 minutes left to full-time, but it was all muted celebration for the Russian champions, who next hosts 2013 champions Bayern.

Gervinho and Iturbe Pictured After Scoring for Roma.
Gervinho and Iturbe Pictured After Scoring for Roma.

Four years since they last competed in this competition and who would have thought they would get off to such a flying start, however; they did it and top the so-called group of death in early days.

Group F

Barcelona 1-0 APOEL Nicosia

Defender Gerard Pique’s lovely 28-minute header made all the difference, as Luis Enrique’s side got off to a quiet start at the Camp Nou.

The Spaniard snuck into space to head a free-kick into the far corner- his seventh Champions League goal and his 21st for the Catalans.

Ajax 1-1 Paris St-Germain

Edinson Cavani opened scoring for the Parisians within a quarter of an hour, firing a rebound from Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s shot into the net.

Lasse Schöne leveled for Ajax on 74 minutes, bending a lovely free-kick over the wall and the goalkeeper into the net.

Group G

Chelsea 1-1 Schalke 04

Jose Mourinho rested his on-form striker Diego Costa for this one, allowing returnee Didier Drogba to get at the Germans.

Diego Costa Started from the Bench Against Schalke. Image: Getty.
Diego Costa Started from the Bench Against Schalke. Image: Getty.

Cesc Fabregas converted his first competitive goal for the ‘Blues’ in the 11th minute at Stamford Bridge.

The ex-Arsenal man combined brilliantly with the soon-to-pen-a-bumper-deal Eden Hazard to slot home from close range.

The hosts’ firepower and verve dwindled while the match wore on, such that the late introduction of Costa and Loic Remy failed to translate into goal after Klas-Jan Huntelaar drew level in the 62nd minute.

Drogba missed a sitter on 60 minutes and the equaliser which came a couple of minutes after silenced Stamford Bridge.

Schalke- anchored by Julian Draxler- piled down the pitch and the midfielder found captain Huntelaar on his left for the Dutchman to drill home a low shot.

Maribor 1-1 Sporting Lisbon

Louis Nani brought sexy back with a superb opener in the 80th minute but Zlatko Zahovic injury-time header stole a point for the Slovenian champions.

Group H

Athletic Bilbao 0-0 Shakhtar Donetsk

Athletic’s return to the Champions League group stage after 16 years was uneventful as the Estadio San Mame waited to no avail for genuine excitement.

Porto 6-0 Bate Borisov

What was lacking in Barcelona was aplenty at the Dragao with Brahimi captaining the cruise.

Brahimi Became the First Porto Player to Score a Champions League Hat-Trick.
Brahimi Became the First Porto Player to Score a Champions League Hat-Trick.

The 1897 and 2004 champions struggled at home last season, but moved fast to discard those nightmares with a thumping win over Belarus outfit Bate.

Brahimi became the first Algerian and Porto player to score a hat-trick in a Champions League match- but only the fourth African after Samuel Eto’O, Drogba and Yakubu Aiyegbeni.

Captain Jackson Martinez, Adrian Lopez and Cameroon forward Vincent Aboubakar completed scoring for the hosts.

The win saw the Portuguese equal the record for the biggest win in Uefa Champions League Match Day 1- same scoreline as Arsenal over Braga in 2010.

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