In a dramatic UEFA Champions League group stage encounter on September 17, Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk emerged as the hero, scoring a crucial late header to secure a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Atletico Madrid. This decisive goal earned Arne Slot’s squad all three points in a captivating contest. Elsewhere in the competition, European giants Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain also kicked off their campaigns with impressive wins against their respective opponents.
The match at Anfield was a rollercoaster of emotions. The home side initially stormed to a two-goal lead within the first six minutes, with Andy Robertson finding the net in the fourth minute, quickly followed by Mohamed Salah’s strike in the sixth. However, Atletico Madrid showcased their resilience, pulling level through two goals from Marcos Llorente, who scored in the 45th minute of first-half stoppage time and again in the 81st minute. With the score tied at 2-2 as the game approached its conclusion, it was Van Dijk’s powerful header in the 92nd minute that ultimately sealed the win for Liverpool.
Adding to the game’s intensity, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone was shown a red card and sent off by the referee following an altercation with Liverpool supporters.
Following his match-winning contribution, the Dutch captain, Van Dijk, praised his team’s unwavering determination throughout the challenging fixture. The 34-year-old defender shared his thoughts after the final whistle, stating, “We kept pushing hard until we found a way to win the game, and I’m incredibly excited that I could help secure the victory. It was a magnificent European night. We always strive to demonstrate our high level of capability in every match, and tonight was also a lucky day for me.”
In other UEFA Champions League fixtures played on September 17, Inter Milan secured a confident 2-0 victory over Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam, earning them three points in their opening match.
Meanwhile, at the Allianz Arena in Germany, Bayern Munich delivered a commanding performance, defeating Chelsea 3-1. Star striker Harry Kane was instrumental, bagging two goals, while Bayern’s opening goal came courtesy of an unfortunate own goal by Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah.
Paris Saint-Germain also enjoyed a successful start on home soil in France, securing a dominant 4-0 win against Italian club Atalanta. The night’s results also included Olympiacos playing out a goalless 0-0 draw with Pafos FC, and Slavia Prague sharing the spoils in a 2-2 draw against Bodoe/Glimt.
