The opening matchday of the UEFA Champions League phase featured six thrilling encounters, highlighted by a flawless record for English clubs and a dramatic late victory for Borussia Dortmund against Villarreal.
Manchester City returned from the Estádio do Dragão with a hard-fought 2–0 victory over Porto. After a tight first half that ended goalless, Erling Haaland stepped up to make the difference after the break.
The Norwegian striker opened the scoring in the 47th minute following an assist from Enzo Fernández, then sealed City’s win with a second goal in the first minute of stoppage time, turning home a pass from Rayan Aït-Nouri after sustained pressure following a corner kick.
Guirassy Stars for Dortmund in a Thrilling Encounter
Borussia Dortmund secured a dramatic 3–2 victory over Villarreal at Signal Iduna Park in a match that remained goalless until the 53rd minute, when Renato Veiga accidentally turned the ball into his own net to give the hosts the lead.
Santiago Mouriño equalized for Villarreal with a header in the 66th minute, but Serhou Guirassy restored Dortmund’s lead in the 80th minute following a fine pass from Jobe Bellingham, before adding a third from the penalty spot in the 85th minute.
The closing moments brought a rare twist for Guirassy: in the third minute of injury time, he inadvertently turned a Nicolas Pépé free-kick into his own net when Gregor Kobel’s parry bounced off his face, though Dortmund held on to secure all three points.
Wins for Aston Villa, Real Betis, and Real Madrid
In the remaining fixtures, Aston Villa secured a 3–2 away victory against Club Brugge thanks to goals from John McGinn, Emiliano Buendía, and Nicolas Jackson, offsetting strikes from Hugo Vetlesen and Niccolò Tresoldi. Meanwhile, AEK Athens defeated LASK Linz 1–0 courtesy of a brilliant goal from Răzvan Marin.
Real Betis fought back from behind to defeat Lille 3–2, driven by a Marc Bartra brace and a Troy Parrott strike, while Real Madrid claimed the night’s marquee clash with a 2–1 victory over Inter Milan through goals from Kylian Mbappé and Federico Valverde, with Carlos Augusto scoring for the visitors.
