Holders Liverpool began
their defence of the Champions League trophy with a defeat at the hands of
Napoli on Tuesday, while one missed spot-kick condemned Chelsea to defeat
against Valencia and another came to Barcelona's rescue.
Liverpool
survived a 1-0 defeat in Naples in the group stage last season to go on and win
their sixth European Cup, and this time a 2-0 reverse at the San Paolo made
them the first reigning champions to lose their opening game in the competition
since 1994.
Both sides had chances but the Group E clash was edging
towards a goalless conclusion until a late penalty award for the hosts. Barely
10 minutes remained when Jose Callejon went down under an Andy Robertson
challenge and German referee Felix Brych pointed to the spot.
Dries Mertens beat Adrian from 12 yards and substitute
Fernando Llorente – who played for Tottenham Hotspur against Liverpool in last
season's final – then took advantage of a rare defensive lapse by Virgil van
Dijk to make it 2-0 in stoppage time.
Liverpool must now bounce back in two weeks when they
host Austrian champions Salzburg, who made a stunning return to the group stage
as teenage forward Erling Braut Haaland netted a hat-trick in a 6-2 demolition
of Genk.
Haaland, the teenage English-born Norwegian striker whose father
Alf-Inge played for Manchester City, gave Salzburg a second-minute lead and
netted twice more before halftime.
Aged just 19 years and 58 days, Haaland is the third-youngest player to
score a Champions League hat-trick behind Wayne Rooney and Raul, according to
sports statisticians Opta.
The South Korean Hwang hee-Chan and Dominik Szoboszlai also scored
before the break for Salzburg, while Captain Andreas Ulmer completed the rout
in the second half.
Jhon Lucumi and Tanzanian striker Mbwana Samatta were on target for the
Belgian champions.
Last season's Europa League winners Chelsea ensured it was two defeats
out of two on the night for English sides as they went down 1-0 at home to
Valencia.
The Spaniards scored in the 74th minute when a Dani Parejo free-kick was
converted by Rodrigo Moreno. Chelsea were then given a chance to rescue a draw
when Daniel Wass was penalised for handball in the box, but Ross Barkley's
87th-minute penalty hit the bar on its way over.
Also in Group H, last season's semifinalists Ajax claimed an impressive
3-0 home win over Lille with two of their newest signings among the goals.
Quincy Promes headed the Dutch champions in front and the Mexican Edson
Alvarez doubled their lead early in the second half before Nicolas Tagliafico
sealed the win.
After a patchy start to the season, Barcelona will be relieved to escape
from their trip to Borussia Dortmund with a 0-0 draw as Lionel Messi returned
from injury as a second-half substitute.
The home side will feel they should have won, but Marco Reus had a
second-half penalty saved before Julian Brandt hit the bar late on.
Those two appear well placed already to progress from Group F after
Inter Milan needed a stoppage-time Nicolo Barella goal to rescue a 1-1 draw
against rank outsiders Slavia Prague earlier.
Nigerian forward Peter Olayinka put Slavia ahead in the 63rd minute,
only for Barella to level in the second minute of stoppage time after a Stefano
Sensi free-kick hit the bar.
In Group G, RB Leipzig won 2-1 at Benfica with Timo Werner bagging a
brace before Haris Seferovic pulled one back for the hosts.
Earlier, Memphis Depay's penalty gave Lyon a 1-1 draw at home to Zenit
Saint-Petersburg after Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun had opened the scoring.
Wednesday's standout matches include Paris Saint-Germain against Real
Madrid and Atletico Madrid against Juventus.
RESULTS:
Napoli 2-0 Liverpool
Chelsea 0-1 Valencia
Dortmund 0-0 Barcelona
Salzburg 6-2 Genk
Benfica 1-2 Leipzig
Ajax 3-0 Lille
Napoli 2-0 Liverpool
Chelsea 0-1 Valencia
Dortmund 0-0 Barcelona
Salzburg 6-2 Genk
Benfica 1-2 Leipzig
Ajax 3-0 Lille
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