Liverpool on Wednesday emphatically rebounded from a miserable run as they won 5-1 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Champions League.
There were also comfortable wins for Chelsea and Bayern Munich, while record 15-time champions Real Madrid maintained their perfect start in this season’s tournament with a 1-0 victory at home over struggling Juventus.
“I don’t know if it’s a statement, but it is a win and something to build on,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told TNT Sports. “I’ve been in the football business for a while, so not relief. Obviously we are disappointed with losing games, so it’s something we have to deal with, stick together and keep working.”
Photo: AFP
“We don’t get dragged into the negative things that are going around,” he said. “The only way you can play your game is to focus on the task ahead.”
Liverpool traveled to Germany on a four-game losing streak that included Sunday’s home defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League. Among their recent setbacks was also a loss against Galatasaray in their second league-phase match.
Frankfurt had beaten Galatasaray 5-1 and also lost by that scoreline against Atletico Madrid.
Rasmus Kristensen gave the home side the lead in the 26th minute, but Liverpool leveled nine minutes later through former Frankfurt player Hugo Ekitike, who outsprinted three of his former teammates before firing a low effort under goalkeeper Michael Zetterer.
Ekitike did not celebrate, but raised his hands in an apologetic gesture.
Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate headed in corners within five minutes of each other to give Liverpool a comfortable halftime lead.
Florian Wirtz provided his first Champions League assist in the 66th minute, setting up Cody Gakpo for a tap-in, and he did it again four minutes later for a low drive from Dominik Szoboszlai low drive from 30m out.
At Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham scored his first Champions League goal of the season to break a deadlock in the 57th minute.
Most of the credit was owed to Vinicius Jr, who twisted and turned on the left before seeing an angled drive come off the inside of the far post. Bellingham was quickest to react and tap it home.
Madrid joined four other clubs — including Bayern — who were level at the top the league table with a maximum nine points.
Juventus drew their previous two matches in Europe and have not won since Sept. 13.
Three teenagers scored for Chelsea to help the Premier League team overwhelm 10-man Ajax 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.
A chaotic first half saw five goals, a red card and three penalties all converted.
After Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor was sent off in the 15th minute for an awful challenge on Facundo Buonanotte, 19-year-old Marc Guiu and Moises Caicedo put Chelsea two up.
Wout Weghorst pulled one back from the spot for Ajax, but Enzo Fernandez and 18-year-old Estevao netted spot-kicks of their own to put Chelsea firmly in control at the break.
Estevao became Chelsea’s youngest goalscorer in the Champions League — shortly after Guiu had broken the record.
The 19-year-old Tyrique George extended Chelsea’s advantage shortly after replacing Guiu at halftime.
In Munich, 17-year-old Lennart Karl became Bayern’s youngest Champions League goalscorer in style, setting the German team on their way to a 4-0 win over Club Brugge. Harry Kane, Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson also scored for Bayern.
Substitute Roberto Navarro had an immediate — and stunning impact — as he helped Athletic Bilbao to their first points in this season’s Champions League with a 3-1 comeback victory over Qarabag.
Navarro was brought on in the 65th minute with the score 1-1 and gave the hosts the lead five minutes later with a delightful curled finish into the far corner.
Victor Osimhen scored twice to help Galatasaray to a 3-1 win over Bodo/Glimt, Sporting fought back to beat 10-man Olympique de Marseille 2-1, Tottenham were held to a 0-0 draw against AS Monaco, while Atalanta BC and Slavia Prague also played out a goalless draw.
The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League raised further questions about his future. Arsenal remain perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao. The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round amid reports this week that Alonso had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after the latest
‘HIGH STANDARD’: The Thunder are on track for a Finals-Cup double after they scored 22 three-pointers in equaling the best 25-game start to a season in NBA history The Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday bagged a 16th straight victory, thrashing the Phoenix Suns 138-89 to romp into an NBA Cup semi-final clash with the San Antonio Spurs, who stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 132-119. NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points to lead the reigning NBA champions Thunder, who improved to 24-1 to equal the best 25-game start to a season in league history. They dominated from start to finish to book their place in the final four of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, where they are tomorrow to take on the Spurs. The New York Knicks and
The Olympic flame for the Milan Cortina Winter Games landed in Rome on Thursday following a handover in Greece. The flame was carried in a small lantern aboard an ITA Airways flight between the Greek and Italian capitals. Tennis player Jasmine Paolini — an Olympic gold medalist — and local organizing committee president Giovanni Malago carried the flame off the plane. “I feel honored. It’s an incredible emotion,” Paolini said in brief remarks before the lantern was driven away toward the presidential palace. A 63-day torch relay covering 12,000km is to start in Rome today and wind its way through all 110 Italian provinces
The Kashima Antlers won a record-extending ninth Japanese title on the final day of the J. League season yesterday, holding their nerve to beat the Yokohama F. Marinos 2-1. Watched by Brazilian legend and former player Zico, the Antlers went into the game at their packed home stadium with a one-point lead over Kashiwa Reysol in the table. A goal in either half from Brazilian striker Leo Ceara put the Antlers in control, but Yokohama struck in the first of five minutes of second-half injury time to set up a nail-biting finale, with Reysol winning their game 1-0. The Antlers saw out the
RSS