NIGERIAN youngster George Ilenikhena was the hero for Monaco in the UEFA Champions League last night, as they defeated 10-man Barcelona 2-1 at Stade Louis II.
The 18-year-old came on as a second-half substitute to net the winner, racing clear from a long ball over the top before finishing confidently past Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the 71st minute, 12 minutes after replacing Breel Embolo.
With the goal, Ilenikhena became Monaco’s youngest-ever scorer in the UEFA Champions League, erasing Kylian Mbappe’s record.
Mbappe was 18 years and 63 days old when he scored against Manchester City in 2017 to set the record.
Man-of-the-match Ilenikhena, who also scored for Royal Antwerp against Barcelona in the same competition last season, is 18 years and 34 days old.
Barcelona’s Eric Garcia had earlier been shown a straight red card with just 10 minutes gone, when he fouled Takumi Minamino after a poor pass out from the back by Ter Stegen.
Monaco went ahead soon after as Maghnes Akliouche beat a helpless Ter Stegen, but Barcelona pulled level through their own teenage star Lamine Yamal, who netted his first goal in the competition.
Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman was in action for 89 minutes as David Raya pulled off a stunning double save to help Mikel Arteta’s men eke out a 0-0 draw against Atalanta in Bergamo.
Thomas Partey fouled Ederson inside the box in the second half to give away a penalty. However, Mateo Retegui was denied twice by Raya, who kept out the Italy striker’s initial spot kick and his follow-up off the line.
A goal from winger Kerem Akturkoglu and a superb free-kick by his Turkish compatriot, Orkun Kokcu, earned Benfica a 2-1 victory at Crvena zvezda.
Akturkoglu opened the scoring for the Portuguese side in the ninth minute, converting a cross at the far post from close range.
Kokcu then doubled the advantage a minute before the half-hour mark with a meticulously placed free-kick curl from around 25 metres, finding the net just inside the top right corner.
Feyenoord opened their Champions League campaign with a humiliating 4-0 home defeat to Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen. It only took Florian Wirtz five minutes to open the scoring.
Wirtz netted a first half brace in an all-around man-of-the-match performance as Leverkusen cruised through with a goal by Alejandro Grimaldo and an own goal by Wellenreuther.
Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface was impressive in the match for Bayer Leverkusen.
Despite not scoring, Boniface pulled off one of the moments of the match, his no-look pass sending Jeremie Frimpong clear to deliver one of his two assists.
Atletico Madrid came from a goal down to win 2-1 at home to RB Leipzig, courtesy of Jose Maria’s Gimenez’s late strike.
Benjamin Sesko fired past Jan Oblak for the game’s opening goal inside the first five minutes at the Wanda Metropolitano.
However, the hosts responded before the half hour mark, Antoine Griezmann levelling the score before Gimenez’s 90th minute header gave Atletico the win.
Abdallah Sima’s second-half goal secured French newcomers Brest their first-ever win in a European competition, as they overcame 10-man Sturm Graz 2-1.
Results
Feyenoord 0-4 Bayer Leverkusen
Monaco 2-1 Barcelona
Crvena zvezda 1-2 Benfica
Brest 2-1 Sturm Graz
Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Atletico Madrid 2-1 RB Leipzig
