By Raymond Ebireri
The UEFA Champions League once again delivered its trademark blend of entertainment, drama, excitement, and a flurry of goals during an exhilarating night of group stage matches.
Matchday 2, which witnessed a total of 47 goals, featured surprising upsets as Galatasaray and RC Lens triumphed over English giants Manchester United and Arsenal, while Newcastle United achieved a historic victory against PSG in their first home UCL match in over two decades. Additionally, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich all secured wins in captivating encounters.
Here are some key highlights that will dominate the headlines this week:
1. Galatasaray Shocks Old Trafford
Turkish side Galatasaray visited Old Trafford on Matchday 2 for their second Group A fixture and left with a well-deserved three points. Manchester United took the lead twice through Rasmus Hojlund in the 17th and 67th minutes, with Wilfried Zaha equalizing for Galatasaray in the 23rd minute. Kerem Akturkoglu leveled the score again in the 71st minute, just four minutes after Hojlund had put United ahead 2-1. However, it was Mauro Icardi who secured the victory with an exquisite chip over Andre Onana, sealing a 3-2 win for Galatasaray. Earlier, Icardi had missed a penalty after Casemiro was sent off for a tackle on Dries Mertens in the box.
2. Lens Upsets Arsenal
French Ligue 1 side RC Lens secured a memorable 2-1 victory over Arsenal in their Group B encounter. Arsenal took the lead in the 14th minute through Gabriel Jesus, but two stunning goals from Thomasson in the 25th minute and Alye Wahi in the 69th minute gave the French side the win.
3. Newcastle’s Dominant Victory Over PSG
Newcastle United achieved an impressive 4-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain, marking the return of Champions League football to St James’ Park after more than two decades. The Magpies took the lead in the 17th minute with a brilliantly curled finish by Miguel Almiron, igniting wild celebrations among the fans. In the second half, they extended their lead to 3-0 by the 50th minute. Lucas Hernandez pulled one back for PSG, but it was Newcastle who had the final word, with Fabian Schar’s stoppage-time screamer sending the fans into jubilation.
4. Lamine Yamal: Youngest Champions League Starter
Lamine Yamal made history by becoming the youngest player ever to start a Champions League match at just 16 years and 83 days old, representing Barcelona in their 1-0 win over FC Porto. The previous record holder was Celestine Babayaro, who started for Anderlecht at 16 years and 86 days old against Steaua Bucharest.
5. Pulisic’s Milestone: 50 UCL Appearances
Christian Pulisic made history as the first United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) player to reach 50 appearances in the UEFA Champions League. He achieved this milestone while playing for AC Milan in their goalless draw against his former team, Borussia Dortmund. This match marked the only goalless draw on Matchday 2. Pulisic had previously made history by becoming the first USMNT player to win the UCL with Chelsea in 2021.
UCL MATCHDAY 2 ROUND-UP – Excitement Continues
