Insane finish in 8-goal thriller; headbutt drama as farcical blunder gifts Spurs win — CL Wrap

Juventus came back from two goals down in stoppage time to draw 4-4 in a thrilling Champions League match with Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

Lloyd Kelly saved a point for Juve in the final seconds of the game in Turin by heading home a pinpoint cross from Dusan Vlahovic, who had scored what looked like a consolation goal in the fourth minute of added time.

Igor Tudor’s team seemed down and out when Ramy Bensebaini rolled home Dortmund’s fourth from the penalty spot in the 86th minute.

But just as at the weekend, when Juve struck late to beat fierce rivals Inter Milan, Kelly stepped up to earn Juve a draw and spark bedlam in the Allianz Stadium stands.

Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now >

Englishman Kelly’s equaliser was the final act of a match which exploded into life in the second half after a soporific opening period.

Little had happened by the time Karim Adeyemi lashed in Dortmund’s opening goal from Serhou Guirassy’s quick pass, with Maximilian Beier grazing the outside of the post from an improbable angle seconds before the first major bit of action.

But Adeyemi’s goal sparked a previously uninspiring match into life, with Guirassy somehow failing to score from six yards out moments later after bundling his way to in front of Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.

Juve woke up, with Teun Koopmeiners blasting over following a neat exchange of passes with Lois Openda, and in the 63rd minute Kenan Yildiz levelled the scores with a brilliant curling strike reminiscent of Italian icon Alessandro Del Piero.

The cheers from that goal had barely died down when seconds later Felix Nmecha was allowed too much space to smash Dortmund back into the lead from just outside the penalty area.

Vlahovic, who looked on the way out during the close season, put Juve level in the 68th minute, the Serbia striker confidently stroking home his third goal of the season from Yildiz’s pass.

Yan Couto put Dortmund ahead again with a powerful low drive which squirmed through the slippery fingers of Di Gregorio in the 75th minute.

And when Guirassy’s shot smashed into Kelly’s arm as the defender slid to block, Bensebaini struck what looked likely to be the killer blow.

But Juve kept pushing and, inspired by Vlahovic, the Serie A team somehow scrambled a result out of nowhere.

Eight goals were scored in a frantic second half as Dortmund and Juventus settled for a 4-4 draw in their Champions League opener in Turin.

The scores were locked at 0-0 when play resumed at half-time before the two sides exchanged blows throughout a top-turvy second stanza.

Dortmund were leading 4-2 in the 94th minute before Juventus scored two goals deep into added time in a dramatic finish.

SPURS ACCEPT VILLARREAL GIFT

Tottenham were gifted the perfect start to their Champions League campaign as a farcical own goal from Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior sealed a 1-0 win on Tuesday.

Luiz Junior contrived to let Lucas Bergvall’s cross trickle into his own net early in the first half in north London.

That was enough for Tottenham to take the points on their return to Europe’s elite club competition after a two-year absence.

The victory maintained Tottenham’s impressive form under new boss Thomas Frank. He was hired from Brentford to replace Ange Postecoglou in June, giving the Dane a chance to manage in the Champions League for the first time.

Postecoglou was sacked just 16 days after leading Tottenham to the Europa League final victory against Manchester United that secured their place in the Champions League.

Frank’s appointment was masterminded by Daniel Levy, but the Tottenham chairman has since stepped down in a move reportedly forced on him by the club’s owners.

Tottenham’s summer of change hasn’t proved damaging so far, with three wins from Frank’s first four Premier League games and a successful start to the Champions League adventure.

Villarreal have played 15 previous matches against English opponents in the Champions League and are still looking for their first victory.

Frank had admitted it was a “big thing” to take part in the Champions League, but said he would only give himself “two minutes” to soak in the Champions League anthem before concentrating on the task of beating Villarreal.

The 51-year-old former PE teacher’s only previous experience of managing in European competition came in qualifying for the Europa League with Brondby.

But Tottenham ensured he took to the bigger stage like a duck to water.

Xavi Simons set the tone with a fierce volley that flashed just over from the edge of the area.

And Tottenham took the lead after just four minutes when Bergvall’s cross towards Richarlison was spilled into his own net by Luiz Junior.

It was a horrific mistake from the Villarreal keeper, who was under no pressure as he allowed the ball to squirm under his body.

Former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe was back on familiar territory in north London and the Villarreal star went close to equalising with a rocket that deflected just wide.

Tottenham were in Champions League action for the first time since losing to AC Milan in the last 16 in 2023, with Cristian Romero the only surviving member of that team still at the north London club.

Romero’s panicked clearance almost presented Villarreal with an equaliser as Pepe set up Tajon Buchanan for a low strike that just cleared the far post.

Pape Sarr had scored in Saturday’s win at West Ham and the Tottenham midfielder threatened with a powerful strike that Luiz Junior saved at full stretch.

Richarlison smashed a deflected effort into the side-netting before the Brazilian was left seething when his penalty appeal was rejected after Pape Gueye hauled him down.

Villarreal’s former Tottenham defender Juan Foyth should have levelled with a glancing header that fizzed wide in the second half.

Tottenham were suddenly misplacing passes at an alarming rate and Pepe was inches wide with a low shot as Frank paced anxiously on the touchline.

Already on a booking, Simons was fortunate to avoid a red card for tugging Pepe as he tried to lead a Villarreal break.

Tottenham defender Micky van de Van could also count himself lucky not to be sent off after a VAR review for his last-ditch tackle.

Pepe curled wide for the visitors but Tottenham held on in a tense finale.

MADRID TRIUMPH AFTER CONTROVERSIAL HEADBUTT

Kylian Mbappe slammed home two penalties for Real Madrid as the record 15-time winners opened their Champions League campaign with a controversial 2-1 comeback win over Olympique Marseille on Tuesday.

Timothy Weah opened the scoring for the French visitors before Mbappe levelled from the spot and Madrid defender Dani Carvajal was sent off for headbutting Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

Roberto De Zerbi’s enterprising Marseille were well place to push for a win until Facundo Medina was harshly penalised for a handball and Mbappe converted his second penalty.

Madrid coach Xabi Alonso was dealt an early blow on his first European game at the helm of the Spanish giants when Trent Alexander-Arnold limped off with a thigh injury.

Alonso benched Vinicius Junior among several changes to the side which beat Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday to continue Madrid’s 100 percent start in La Liga.

They had a short pre-season following the Club World Cup, giving Alonso more incentive to shuffle his pack, while the coach has also insisted he will keep as many players involved as possible.

Jude Bellingham was named on the bench for the first time after undergoing shoulder surgery in July, but neither he nor the returning Eduardo Camavinga made it on to the pitch.

Mbappe, who watched former side Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League last season after he left for Madrid, almost opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead effort which dropped just wide.

Alexander-Arnold limped off after just three minutes, to be replaced by veteran Carvajal.

Franco Mastantuono, Real Madrid’s youngest Champions League starter at 18 years and 33 days, hit the inside of the near post as both teams sought to break the deadlock.

Rulli made a fine save from a fierce Mbappe strike before Weah opened the scoring. Mason Greenwood picked Arda Guler’s pocket and fed the US international, who slammed past Thibaut Courtois at the near post for his first Marseille goal.

The Belgian goalkeeper denied Weah from distance as the Juventus winger, on loan in France, impressed. Real Madrid equalised when Geoffrey Kondogbia clumsily bundled over Rodrygo Goes in the box.

Mbappe, in fine form at the start of the season, dispatched the penalty past Rulli’s outstretched arm.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang drilled just wide and then tested Courtois in the second half as Marseille continued to give as good as they got.

Madrid finished the second game running with 10 men after Carvajal squared off with Rulli and then pushed his head into the goalkeeper’s.

However, just as they did against Real Sociedad after Dean Huijsen’s red card, they finished with three points.

Medina slid in to challenge Vinicius and the ball hit his arm, with the referee awarding a penalty, which Mbappe gratefully dispatched to claim victory for Los Blancos.

UEFA Champions League results

In Eindhoven, PSV Eindhoven 1 (Van Bommel 90) lost to Union Saint-Gilloise 3 (David 9-pen, El Hadj 39, Mac Allister 81)

In Bilbao, Athletic Bilbao 0 lost to Arsenal 2 (Martinelli 72, Trossard 87)

In Lisbon, Benfica 2 (Barrenechea 6, Pavlidis 16) lost to Qarabag 3 (Andrade 30, Duran 48, Kashchuk 86)

In Turin, Juventus 4 (Yildiz 64, Vlahovic 68, 90+4, Kelly 90+6) drew with Borussia Dortmund 4 (Adeyemi 52, Nmecha 65, Couto 74, Bensebaini 86-pen)

In Madrid, Real Madrid 2 (Mbappe 29-pen, 81-pen) defeated Marseille 1 (Weah 22)

In London, Tottenham 1 defeated (Junior 4-og) Villarreal 0

Click here to read article