Olympiakos secured a surprise 3-2 victory over last year’s Champions League runners-up Atletico Madrid to make a dream start to their Group A campaign on Tuesday.
The Greek champions went ahead on 13 minutes at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium when slack Atletico marking at a corner allowed young French defender Arthur Masuaku to drill home a low shot.
It got even better for the hosts just after the half-hour mark when Ibrahim Afellay doubled the advantage.
Mario Mandzukic pulled a goal back for Atletico seven minutes before halftime, but the visitors fell behind again to Kostas Mitroglou’s 73rd-minute strike – his first goal for 10 months.
Atletico substitute Antoine Griezmann set up a tense finish with a close-range strike with four minutes left, but Michel’s team clung on for victory.
Meanwhile, goals from Hulk and Axel Witsel helped Zenit St Petersburg get their Champions League campaign off to the perfect start as they beat 10-man Benfica 2-0 away.
Hulk put the visitors 1-0 up after five minutes and things quickly went from bad to worse for Benfica, whose keeper Artur was sent off, before Witsel doubled the lead with a header midway through the first half.
Zenit are joined at the top of Group C on three points by Monaco who beat Bayer Leverkusen 1-0.
Zenit coach Andre Villas-Boas named arguably his strongest side with central defender Ezequiel Garay and midfielders Witsel and Javi Garcia lining up against their former club.
Zenit had a chance to open the scoring in only the second minute as Hulk unleashed a dangerous strike across goal which Oleg Shatov was just inches away from turning into the net.
It was not long before the away fans were celebrating, however, as Hulk finished with aplomb after being picked out by an excellent pass from Shatov.
Zenit had a chance to double their lead on 10 minutes as Hulk hit a free kick, which goalkeeper Artur could only parry, before the keeper received his marching orders eight minutes later for bringing down Danny outside the penalty area.
Paulo Lopes was brought on to replace him and one of his first tasks was to pick the ball out of the net as Witsel rose highest in the penalty area to head home a corner.
Benfica had an opportunity to reduce the deficit after the break as Luisao went close with a header, but Zenit goalkeeper Yuri Lodygin showed good agility to save.
Hulk could have killed the game off a minute later, but his shot from an acute angle hit the post, while Jose Rondon also had a chance after being put through on goal, yet was unable to find the back of the net.
Zenit will host Monaco on October 1 when Benfica will visit Leverkusen.
Monaco showed they could still be a force in the Champions League despite losing James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao with a second-half Joao Moutinho goal securing a 1-0 win against Leverkusen.
Portugal international Moutinho, one of Monaco’s big signings last year, fired home from Dimitar Berbatov’s header in the 61st minute.
Monaco, who sold Colombia international Rodriguez to Real Madrid and loaned compatriot Falcao to Manchester United, had been second best to Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen for the first hour.
The principality side’s poor domestic form was reflected in an indifferent opening with Karim Bellarabi making a hash of a great chance to fire the visitors ahead from Hakan Calhanoglu’s defence-splitting pass.
Leverkusen were dominant in midfield but toothless up front with Son Heung-min sending a low shot wide when left unmarked in the box.
On the stroke of halftime, Gonzalo Castro also managed to fire a volley from close range over the bar as the visitors continued to waste chances.
Monaco were struggling to keep Leverkusen at bay and Layvin Kurzawa and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco were both booked before the break, which Monaco were grateful to reach at 0-0.
It was Leonardo Jardim’s side, however, who went ahead shortly after the hour.
Bulgarian striker Berbatov headed a long ball into the path of midfielder Mountinho, whose shot was deflected by Emir Spahic’s heel past Bernd Leno.
Leverkusen had their first shot on target 10 minutes from time when Castro’s fierce shot was parried away by Danijel Subasic.
“We knew that it would be difficult against a good team who have been brilliant in their league,” Monaco midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia told BeIN Sport.
“But we also knew we had the weapons to beat them. We were solid. They had a lot of chances but we also had our opportunities.”
A stoppage time strike from Burak Yilmaz earned Galatasaray a 1-1 draw with Anderlecht in their opening Group D Champions League fixture after Dennis Praet had put the visitors on course for victory.
Praet found the opening in the 52nd minute, gathering a cross on the left, passing two players along the edge of the penalty area and firing in a shot to Galatasaray keeper Fernando Muslera’s right which flew in off the post.
Into injury time, Galatasaray’s Aurelien Chedjou broke through the defences on the left of the area and found Burak who shot past Anderlecht keeper Davy Roef from a few metres to the relief of the home side.
In an open match, both sides had chances to give their campaigns a positive start with Burak failing to connect properly with a pass across the area in the eighth minute.
The visitors sprang into life midway through the first half with Matias Suarez firing in a cross from the left and Ibrahima Conte sending a shot back across the goal and out of play. Two minutes later Aleksandar Mitrovic forced a save from Muslera.
In the 29th minute a free kick for the visitors found Anderlecht defender Olivier Deschacht but he directed his shot straight at Muslera. Galatasaray responded several minutes later with a couple of efforts, including a shot from Felipe Melo in the 35th minute that was deflected wide.
Shortly after Praet’s goal, Aleksandar Mitrovic had a chance to double the lead but fired a close-range shot wide.
Galatasaray then resumed the attacking mode in which they had started the half, striker Goran Pandev firing in a shot which was saved by Anderlecht keeper Roef.
The home side kept up the pressure in the final stages and had a string of scoring opportunities before Burak capitalised on his chance in added time.
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