Two Penalties Give Real Madrid Hard-Fought Win Over Marseille

Thanks to two penalty goals from French star Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid edged past French visitors Marseille 2-1 in the opening round of the UEFA Champions League’s new unified group stage.

Despite Real’s early pressure, the visitors struck first when Englishman Mason Greenwood capitalized on a misplaced pass from Turkish youngster Arda Güler in midfield. Greenwood drove forward and slipped the ball to American Timothy Weah, who powered a shot past Belgian keeper Thibaut Courtois into the bottom-left corner (22’). 

Real earned a penalty through Brazilian Rodrygo, and Mbappé converted it with a precise strike to the right of Gerónimo Rulli (29’), who went on to make several key saves — including one before the crossbar denied Mbappé a second goal (50’). 

Courtois made a crucial save of his own, stopping a fierce long-range effort from Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (57’), before Dani Carvajal — who had come on early for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold — was sent off for headbutting Rulli off the ball (72’).

Real were awarded a controversial second penalty when the referee ruled a handball on Argentine defender Facundo Medina as he tried to block Vinícius Júnior’s cross. Mbappé stepped up again and calmly buried the winner (81’).

Goal Fest Between Juventus and Dortmund

Juventus avoided their first home defeat to Borussia Dortmund in 30 years by salvaging a dramatic 4-4 draw in stoppage time.

After a goalless first half, the match exploded into life in the second. The visitors struck first through Karim Adeyemi, who collected the ball on the edge of the box and drilled a low shot past Michele Di Gregorio (53’). 

Turkish youngster Kenan Yıldız equalized for Juve with a stunning strike from distance (64’), but Dortmund restored their lead less than a minute later via Felix Nmecha (65’). 

The introduction of Serbian striker Dušan Vlahović proved decisive, as he drew Juve level from a superb Yıldız pass (68’). 

Dortmund went ahead again through Brazilian Yan Couto, who capitalized on a mistake by Frenchman Khéphren Thuram to fire home from a tight angle (74’), before Algerian Ramy Bensebaini converted a penalty to make it 4-2 (86’). 

Vlahović quickly pulled one back with a towering header from Pierre Kalulu’s cross (90+4’), then turned provider with a late assist for Englishman Lloyd Kelly, who nodded in the dramatic equalizer (90+6’).

Arsenal Win Thanks to Super-Subs

With second-half substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard stepping up, Arsenal came away from San Mamés with a valuable 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao.

Despite fielding their new-look attacking trio of Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke, Arsenal couldn’t break the deadlock until manager Mikel Arteta introduced Martinelli and Trossard. 

The Brazilian struck with his first touch (72’) from a Trossard assist, before returning the favor to set up the Belgian for the second goal (87’).

Elsewhere, Union Saint-Gilloise stunned PSV Eindhoven 3-2 in their first-ever Champions League appearance, while Tottenham edged Villarreal 1-0 after Swedish youngster Lucas Bergvall’s cross deflected off Brazilian keeper Luiz Júnior and into the net (4’).