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Marcus Rashford Barcelona celebrating a goal PHOTO: Getty Images via UEFA
Barcelona, Manchester City, Frankfurt, Sporting CP and Club Brugge all got off to winning starts in Thursday's Matchday 1 action.
Marcus Rashford scored a double to help Barcelona beat Newcastle, while Erling Haaland became the fastest player to reach 50 UEFA Champions League goals during Manchester City's victory over Napoli.
Here, as culled from UEFA.com, is the round-up of all the action from the final evening of Matchday 1:
Leverkusen twice came from behind to claim a share of the spoils in a dramatic encounter in the Danish capital. Copenhagen went in front in the ninth minute via Jordan Larsson's cushioned half-volley and led until late in the contest, with Alejandro Grimaldo's exquisite free-kick levelling eight minutes from time.
Substitute Robert's deft header appeared to have given the Danish Superliga outfit maximum points, before Pantelis Hatzidiakos deflected a cross into his own net in added time.
Player of the Match: Jordan Larsson (Copenhagen)
Captain Hans Vanaken starred as Club Brugge cruised to victory. After home goalkeeper Simon Mignolet saved Maghnes Akliouche's penalty, Vanaken's pass gave Nicolo Tresoldi the chance to slot in a 32nd-minute opener.
Raphael Onyedika pounced to double the advantage seven minutes later, and Vanaken lashed in three minutes before the break for his 11th goal in the competition proper. Champions League debutant Mamadou Diakhon scored Club Brugge's fourth with a composed 75th-minute finish before Monaco substitute Ansu Fati fired an added-time consolation.
Player of the Match: Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge)
Matchday 2
30/09: Atalanta vs Club Brugge (18:45)
01/10: Monaco vs Manchester City
Haaland headed in his 50th Champions League goal to help Manchester City to a home victory, becoming the fastest player to reach the half-century mark in the competition's history in just his 49th appearance. Napoli were reduced to ten men in the 21st minute when captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo was sent off, but goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovi?-Savi? kept the hosts at bay.
Eleven minutes after the break, Phil Foden’s pass set up Haaland to nod past Milinkovi?-Savi?. Nine minutes later, winger Jérémy Doku danced past his markers to enter the box on the left before sending a low finish into the far corner to seal the points.
Player of the Match: Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Jonathan Burkardt scored twice as Frankfurt recovered from a slow start to ease past Galatasaray. Yunus Akgün fired the visitors ahead in the eighth minute, but a Davinson Sánchez own goal brought the hosts level.
Goals from Can Uzun and Burkardt then turned the contest around in first-half stoppage time. The latter headed in his second goal from Nathaniel Brown’s cross after the break, while Ansgar Knauff rounded Galatasaray goalkeeper U?urcan Çak?r to complete a fine win.
Player of the Match: Jonathan Burkardt (Frankfurt)
Sporting CP got their Champions League campaign off to a fine start with a convincing victory in Lisbon. A Francisco Trincão double either side of half-time set the Portuguese side on their way before quickfire strikes from Alisson Santos and Geovany Quenda sealed the win.
Luis Suárez hit the post and bar after Morten Hjulmand's first-half penalty had been saved by 18-year-old debutant Sherhan Kalmurza. Edmilson did get a late consolation for Kairat but Sporting proved too strong.
Player of the Match: Francisco Trincão (Sporting CP)
England forward Rashford's first goals for Barcelona secured victory at St James' Park. Newcastle started brightly without finding a goal and Rashford punished them when he headed in powerfully, the first English player to score for Barça in the Champions League.
Rashford then hit a sensational second, firing in from range via the underside of the crossbar. Newcastle kept pushing and Anthony Gordon gave them hope late on with a composed finish but Barça held on.
Player of the Match: Marcus Rashford (Barcelona)
