New Delhi: Kylian Mbappe netted two penalties as Real Madrid kicked off their latest Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 comeback win over Marseille at the Santiago Bernabeu, according to Sky Sports.
Real, in pursuit of a record 16th European title, were taken aback early when Timothy Weah scored for the visitors. However, Mbappe quickly leveled the score from the penalty spot before securing the victory with a second penalty.
On the opening night of the league phase, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund played out an exhilarating 4-4 draw, while Benfica faltered against Qarabag FK despite having a two-goal lead.
Dusan Vlahovic and Lloyd Kelly found the net in stoppage time to earn Juventus a point in a thrilling match. All eight goals were scored in the second half, with Dortmund initially taking the lead through Karim Adeyemi. Kenan Yildiz equalized, but Felix Nmecha restored Dortmund's advantage. Vlahovic brought Juve level once more before Yan Couto and Ramy Bensebaini extended the German side's lead to what seemed like an unassailable 4-2. In a dramatic turn of events, Vlahovic and Kelly scored late to secure the draw.
Qarabag shocked Benfica with an impressive 3-2 victory. The Portuguese team looked to be in control after early goals from Enzo Barrenechea and Vangelis Pavlidis put them ahead 2-0 within 16 minutes, but the visitors launched a determined comeback, with Leandro Andrade, Camilo Duran, and Oleksii Kashchuk all scoring to achieve a memorable win.
Additionally, there was a dream debut in the competition for Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise, who stunned PSV Eindhoven with a 3-1 victory. Promise Akinpelu converted an early penalty, and Anouar Ait El Hadj showcased a brilliant solo run, covering half the pitch to double the lead. Kevin Mac Allister added a late third goal, while Ruben van Bommel scored a consolation for PSV in stoppage time.
