Maccabi Haifa recorded their first UEFA Champions League win in two decades while Manchester City and Real Madrid became the first sides through to the last 16 despite being held.
Manchester City and Real Madrid dropped their first points of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League but it did not prevent them going through on a night that brought important wins for Chelsea and Leipzig. Yet the headlines were taken by Maccabi Haifa, who ended a 20-year wait for a group stage win with a 2-0 defeat of Juventus.
Group E
Dinamo Zagreb 1-1 Salzburg
Salzburg continued their unbeaten start as it ended all square in Zagreb. Nicolas Seiwald drilled the visitors into an early lead, but Dinamo dominated the rest of the first half and finally got their reward when Robert Ljubičić’s shot deflected in. The second period was light on clear chances, although both sides did hit the crossbar – Salzburg’s Croatia international Luka Sučić first, before Petar Bočkaj’s late free-kick also struck the frame of the goal.
Salzburg have never lost on five trips in Croatia, recording two wins and three draws.
AC Milan 0-2 Chelsea
Graham Potter’s side moved top of Group E with a rare win on Italian soil. The Rossoneri were reduced to ten men after 18 minutes when former Blue Fikayo Tomori impeded Mason Mount in the area, and Jorginho converted the resulting penalty. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doubled the lead with an emphatic finish after Mount’s clever touch. The hosts had opportunities to get back into the game, but Olivier Giroud headed wide and sub Sergiño Dest blasted over.
Chelsea recorded their first Champions League away win in Italy since a 4-0 success against Lazio in November 2003.
Group F
Celtic 0-2 Leipzig
Leipzig struck two second-half goals to keep their fate in their own hands and end Celtic’s last-16 ambitions. Matt O’Riley hit the post and Kyogo Furuhashi headed just over before the break, but the visitors came into their own after it. Timo Werner’s deft header gave Leipzig the advantage before the former Chelsea man turned provider for Emil Forsberg six minutes from the end.
Celtic have lost their last seven home Champions League matches, failing to score in six of them.
Shakhtar 1-1 Real Madrid
Antonio Rüdiger’s added-time header denied Shakhtar a famous victory against the holders in Warsaw. Oleksandr Zubkov – who scored Shakhtar’s goal in his side’s 2-1 defeat in Madrid last week – headed in Mykhailo Mudryk’s left-wing cross immediately after half-time. Lassina Traoré clipped the top of the bar as Shakhtar went in search of a second but Rüdiger bravely beat Anatoliy Trubin to Toni Kroos’ cross in the fifth minute of added time to take the Spanish side through.
Shakhtar have won only one of their last 11 Champions League matches.
Group G
Copenhagen 0-0 Manchester City
With Erling Haaland rested, City were held to only their second ever group stage goalless draw after a remarkable opening half-hour in Denmark. A Riyad Mahrez handball meant Rodri’s early strike was chalked off, and the Algerian then had a spot kick saved by Kamil Grabara before a forgettable evening was ended prematurely when he was sacrificed following Sergio Gómez’s red card for bringing down Hákon Arnar Haraldsson. Both sides fashioned half-chances and though neither could find a way through, it ultimately proved enough for City.
Copenhagen’s last four home matches in the Champions League group stage have all finished goalless.
Dortmund 1-1 Sevilla
Dortmund missed the chance to secure a place in the round of 16 despite fighting back to earn a point. The visitors were good value for their lead through a header by the impressive Tanguy Nianzou, only for Jude Bellingham to level smartly, passing wide before arriving to meet a cross. The home side knew victory would secure a knockout spot but Sevilla’s Erik Lamela went closest to a winner, somehow allowing Gregor Kobel to save from close range.
Bellingham has scored more goals than any English teenager in the Champions League with five. Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott, Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden all managed three.
Group H
Maccabi Haifa 2-0 Juventus
Two goals from Omar Atzili earned Maccabi Haifa their first points of Group H. Wojciech Szczęsny had already denied Frantzdy Pierrot from point-blank range before Atzili’s opener, where the Israel forward forced in Pierre Cornud’s cross. The home side continued to dominate, and got their second before the break when Pierrot fed Atzili, who smashed a shot into the top corner. Josh Cohen denied Dušan Vlahović, and though Juve improved after the restart they failed to properly test the keeper again.
Key stat: Maccabi Haifa have won a Champions League group game for the first time since beating Manchester United 3-0 in October 2002.
PSG 1-1 Benfica
Kylian Mbappé became Paris’ leading Champions League goalscorer but for the second week running the French side were pegged back by Benfica. With Lionel Messi injured, Mbappé opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Juan Bernat was fouled, his 31st goal for the club in this competition taking him clear of Edinson Cavani. PSG failed to kick on, though, and missed out on a win that would have taken them through as João Mário drove in a penalty of his own in the second half. Mbappé hit a late volley into the roof of the net but was flagged offside.
Key stat: Benfica boss Roger Schmidt has only lost one of his 13 games as coach in the Champions League.
Bengali