💫 Real stun Dortmund with comeback; Stuttgart beat Juve; Arsenal win | OneFootball

The Champions League returned tonight for its third round of fixtures, with nine games taking place across the continent.

Vini runs riot as Real stun Dortmund with comeback

Scorers: Rüdiger 60′, Vini Jr. 63′, 86′,90+3′ Vázquez 83′; Malen 30′, Gittens 34′

Real Madrid came from two goals down to defeat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 with another typically ridiculous comeback show that was led by Ballon d’Or elect, Vini Jr.

Dortmund had stunned the Bernabeu with two goals inside four minutes in the first half. On the half hour mark, Donyell Malen fired home after Serhou Guirassy did brilliantly to thread the ball into him.

Malen then turned provider, squaring the ball from the right for Jamie Bynoe-Gittens to stretch out and tap into an empty net. At half-time, it felt as if a small bit of revenge for last season’s Champions League final was in store.

However, as they always seem to do, Real came back, first halving the deficit on the hour mark through Antonio Rüdiger. The German defender rose highest to head home from close range after Kylian Mbappé did very well to get a cross into the box.

It was 2-2 just three minutes later, and again Mbappé had a role in it. The striker was slipped in but before he could shoot, saw the ball cleared into the path of Vini Jr., who had the simple task of tapping into an empty net.

Real completed the comeback in the 83rd minute. Lucas Vázquez got the ball on the right, and via a deflection, found his way into the box before firing home to send the Bernabeu wild.

A stunning win was sealed late on as Vini ran riot, first running half the pitch and slotting home for his second, and then smashing home with his left foot for an incredible hat-trick.

Arsenal squeeze past Shakhatar

Scorers: Riznyk 29′

Arsenal squeezed past Shakhtar Donetsk with an unconvincing 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.

After a lacklustre start to the game, Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead just before the half-hour mark. Gabriel Martinelli did well to fashion a strike after cutting inside the box, and saw his slightly deflected shot bounce off the post and off Shaktar keeper Dmytro Riznyk and into the net.

The Gunners missed the opportunity to double their lead from the spot in the 77th minute. With Bukayo Saka and others missing, Leandro Trossard stepped up but saw his weak penalty saved by Riznyk.

Shakhtar had chances to steal a point but Arsenal held on to secure the three points.

Stuttgart seal famous win at Juve

Scorers: Toure 90+2′

Stuttgart shocked Juventus in Turin with a 1-0 win that is up there with any in their history.

Deniz Undav thought he had given his side the lead just after the break with a brilliant finish, but it was ruled out after a VAR check for a very harsh handball prior to the strike.

Stuttgart had a golden opportunity to win the game from the penalty spot with just four minutes left. Danilo gave away the foul, and received a second yellow as a result, but was reprieved when Mattia Perin saved brilliantly from Enzo Millot.

The German side finally got the goal their play deserved in added time through El Bilal Toure, who smashed home from close range to secure a famous victory.

PSG can’t get past PSV

Scorers: Hakimi 55′; Lang 34′

PSG stumbled to a 1-1 draw with PSV at the Parc des Princes on another disappointing European night for the French giants.

PSV took the lead in the 34th minute with a brilliant goal from Noa Lang. The Dutch champions nicked the ball off PSG, broke quickly and got the ball to the winger, who gave Gianluigi Donnarumma no chance with a clinical finish.

Luis Enrique’s side drew level 10 minutes into the second half, Achraf Hakimi seeing his somewhat fierce drive go through PSV keeper Walter Benítez and into the net.

They had a late penalty claim denied as their shaky start to this season’s tournament continued.

Aston Villa go top with another win

Scorers: McGinn 55′, Durán 64′

Aston Villa went top of the Champions League “league phase” with a 2-0 win against Bologna at Villa Park.

Villa took the lead in the 55th minute through captain John McGinn. The midfielder’s free-kick missed everyone and bounced into the net.

They sealed the victory nine minutes later, Jhon Durán doing what he does best, and sticking a foot out to score yet another goal.

Girona seal first ever win

Scorers: Gutiérrez 42′, Juanpe 73′

Girona defeated Slovan Bratislava 2-0 to secure their first-ever victory in Europe on a famous night for the club.

Girona took the lead three minutes before half-time through Miguel Gutiérrez. Bojan Miovski did brilliantly to get down the left-hand side and pull the ball back for the left-back to smash home.

It was 2-0 in the 73rd minute, Juanpe curling home a stunning free kick to send the home fans into a frenzy.

They could even afford to miss a late penalty as they got their Champions League campaign up and running.

Sporting keep on rolling

Scorers: Santos 23′, Gyökeres 53′

Sporting continued their great start to this season’s Champions League with a 2-0 away win at Sturm Graz.

They took the lead in the 23rd minute through Nuno Santos. Some neat build up play led to Geny Catamo putting the ball across the box, and finding the winger, whose shot hit off the Sturm Graz keeper and in.

The Portuguese champions doubled their lead, and sealed the win, early into the second half via their most reliable source, Viktor Gyökeres. The striker bullied a Graz defender off the ball before charging through on goal and finishing in typically cool fashion.

Milan get off the mark against 10-man Brugge

Scorers: Pulisic 34′, Reijnders 61′, 71′; Sabbe 51′

Milan got their first points of the Champions League season with a 3-1 win against a dogged 10-man Club Brugge side at the San Siro.

After struggling to break down the Brugge defence for most of the first half, Milan took the lead in the 34th minute direct from a corner. Christian Pulisic swung the ball in, and it missed everyone to end up in the net.

The Belgian champions’ task was made all the harder six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika was sent off for a tough tackle on Tijani Reijnders, which left both players needing treatment but only one side down to 10.

The 10 men drew level shortly into the second half to stun the San Siro through Kyriani Sabbe, who fired home with a right-footed shot.

Milan regained the lead just after the hour mark. Noah Okafor got down the left wing before pulling the ball across the box for Reijnders to finish.

It was the Dutchman’s first ever Champions League goal, and his second came just 10 minutes later as Milan finally got some breathing room.

Francesco Camarda thought he had become the youngest-ever scorer in the competition when he netted in the 87th minute, but the subsitute’s goal was ruled out for offside.

Five-star Monaco cruise past Belgrade

Scorers: Minamino 21′, 70′, Embolo 45+4′, Singo 54′, Akliouche 90+7′; Ndiaye 27′

Monaco continued their excellent start to the Champions League this season with a dominant 5-1 win victory against Red Star Belgrade at the Louis II Stadium.

After dominating the early possession, Monaco took the lead in the 21st minute through Takumi Minamino. Wilfried Singo played a ball forward and the Japanese attacker was left unmarked to pick up the ball and slot home. Red Star’s offside line failed massively, it must be added.

The Ligue 1 side’s lead lasted just six minutes as the Serbian champions equalised from the penalty spot. Thilo Kehrer took down Cherif Ndiaye, and the striker dusted himself down to net from 12 yards out.

Monaco retook the lead in first-half added time, Breel Embolo firing home inside the box after the ball bounced his way.

It was 3-1 shortly into the second half, Singo adding to his assist with a strike from just outside the box, and the points were sealed with 20 minutes to go when Minamino got his second of the night, and Monaco’s fourth.

The gloss on their victory was added in the seventh minute of added time by Maghnes Akliouche.