Liverpool beat Milan on home soil, Bayern Munich crush Dinamo Zagreb with 9 goals

Liverpool made a great start to the new edition of the Champions League, beating hosts AC Milan 3-1 on Tuesday in the first round of the league stage, which is being held for the first time in the tournament.

The start was strong and surprising from Milan, who scored a surprise goal through American Christian Pulisic, and Mohamed Salah almost equalized quickly for Liverpool when he shot a rocket from inside the penalty area that bounced off the crossbar of Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan in the 17th minute.

The English team continued to press, while Milan's pace of play slowed down and they retreated to maintain their lead. In the 23rd minute, Trent Alexander-Arnold took a direct free kick on the edge of Milan's penalty area from the left side and played it "in size" to the head of Ibrahima Konate, who directed it into the goal, announcing the equalizing goal.

🟣🎥 Special Report | Liverpool won the summit match against host Milan 3-1 in the Champions League
🎙️ Report | Samir Douidi @SamirDouidi pic.twitter.com/9YrKvAxeXp

— beIN SPORTS News (@beINSPORTSNews) September 17, 2024

The home side continued to decline, which Liverpool took advantage of in the best possible way. In the 41st minute, Reds defender Kostas Tsimikas played a corner kick that Virgil van Dijk pounced on with a header, scoring the second goal, and the first half ended with the visitors leading (2-1).

Liverpool continued to dominate the game, while Milan's attacking attempts declined significantly. In the 67th minute, Cody Gakpo passed a cross without any harassment from the Italian team's defense, and Dominik Szoboszlai pounced on it with one touch, and it went into the net, announcing the third goal for the visitors.

Bayern Munich sweeps Dinamo Zagreb

England international striker Harry Kane scored a "super hat-trick" and led his team Bayern Munich to open its journey in the new Champions League with a historic 9-2 victory over Croatian Dinamo Zagreb in the first round of the group stage on Tuesday in Munich.

English star Harry Kane successfully converted three penalty kicks (19, 73 and 78) and added the fourth goal for his team and his second in the 57th minute, becoming the best English scorer in the continental competition with 33 goals, surpassing Wayne Rooney (30).

Leon Goretzka adds Bayern's ninth goal #ChampionsLeague #BayernMunich pic.twitter.com/59Bey8y7Q3

- beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 17, 2024

Portuguese Raphael Guerreiro (33), Frenchman Michael Olise (38 and 61), Leroy Sane (85) and Leon Goretzka (90+2) added goals for the Bavarian giant, while Bruno Petkovic (49) and Japanese Takuya Ogiwara (51) scored for Dinamo Zagreb.

Bayern Munich became the first team to score nine goals in a single Champions League match in its entire history since Real Madrid against Wacker Innsbruck in October 1990.

Harry Kane became the first English player to score 4 goals in a single Champions League match in its entire history since Alan Smith in September 1991.

Source: beIN Sports