Thirteen-time European champions Real Madrid were left stunned by Champions League debutants Sheriff Tiraspol as the Moldovan club won 2-1 in the group stage match at the Santiago Bernebeu.
Sebastien Thill scored a scorcher from the edge of the box in the 89th minute of the game to seal the game for Sheriff in what could be one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history.
The win sends the giant-killing side to the top of the Group D table, having won both their opening games. Sheriff had beaten Ukrainian side Shakthar Donetsk 2-0 two weeks ago.
Sheriff is the first team from the Moldovan league to play in the Champions League. The team is from Tiraspol—a city located in the unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria—but plays in the Moldovan National Division.
The team is Moldova's most successful side with 19 domestic titles.
Though Madrid dominated the game with 30 attempts on goal, the visitors threatened them on the counter attack.
Sheriff scored with a header in the 25th minute, and Karim Benzema equalised with a penalty in the 65th minute. Thill sent the small group of visiting fans and Sheriff bench into raptures with the thumping finish at the end of the game.
Madrid has now won only five of its last 13 European games at home. They will next face Donetsk while Sheriff will play Italian champions Inter Milan.
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Liverpool drub Porto again
Liverpool beat Portuguese side Porto 5-1 with the front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane sharing all the goals. Salah and Firmino got a couple each.
This is the third time in a row that Liverpool are humiliating Porto at the Estadio do Dragao. In 2019, the English side beat them 4-1 in the quarterfinal, while the season before, they emerged victorious scoring five goals to none.
Porto had several players missing because of injuries and suspensions and had no response to Liverpool's incessant attacking. Moreover, goalkeeper Diogo Costa was directly responsible for giving away three of the goals because of errors he committed.
In the other game of Group B, Atletico Madrid defeated AC Milan 2-1 thanks to a Luis Suarez penalty deep into stoppage time. Milan took the lead in the 20th minute but had to play most of the game without midfield dynamo Franck Kessie, who was sent off in the 29th minute.
Antoine Griezmann equalised in the 84th minute. It was Griezmann's first goal for Atletico since his return from Barcelona.
In tonight's Champions League fixtures, Juventus will take on European champions Chelsea, Barcelona travel to Benfica and Manchester United will host Villareal in a repeat of May's Europa League final.
(With inputs from agencies)
