Atletico Madrid's Jose Maria Gimenez scored a clutch header late in the game to give his team a 2-1 edge over RB Leipzig in Thursday's Champions League opener. The visitors had taken an early surprise lead in the fourth minute when Benjamin Sesko headed home following a rapid break. However, the score was leveled in the 28th minute by a spectacular volley from Antoine Griezmann.
Atletico played the dominant role, totaling twenty attempts on goal, yet they couldn't find the winner until the 90th minute, when Gimenez headed in a delivery from Griezmann. The home side had several early opportunities through Griezmann and Angel Correa, but a defensive lapse by Rodrigo de Paul in the fourth minute gave Leipzig the chance to strike.
After stripping the ball from the Argentine midfielder, Sesko quickly drove forward, catching the Atletico defense off guard. Jan Oblak showed great reflexes with a one-handed stop against Lois Openda's effort from the edge of the area, but Sesko was faster to the loose ball, outmuscling Robin Le Normand to score.
The home team continued their onslaught, creating numerous threats before Griezmann equalized in the 28th minute, though the goal didn't significantly shift the game's flow. The equalizer came after a swift transition started by Correa, who found Marcos Llorente on the right; Griezmann then finished Llorente's cross with a precise volley into the top corner.
After several more near-misses, including a 79th-minute header that forced Peter Gulacsi into a brilliant one-handed save, Griezmann eventually set up Gimenez for the winning goal, capping off a hard-fought victory for Atletico.
Looking ahead to the second matchday on Thursday, October 3, Atletico will travel to Lisbon to face Benfica, while Leipzig heads to Turin for a clash with Juventus.
Reflecting on the match, Griezmann noted that in games like this, a single mistake can lead to a goal—which is exactly what happened—but praised the team's maturity in staying composed and fighting back. He emphasized that starting the campaign with a win is crucial.
The attacking midfielder added that every Champions League fixture is a challenge regardless of who the opponent is, necessitating hard work and persistence. He noted that their depth was key to winning today and that while they are moving in the right direction, this is only the start of their journey.
In another fixture, Benfica took a 2-1 win over Crvena Zvezda, aided by a lucky strike from Kerem Akturkoglu and a masterclass free kick by Orkun Kokcu. Akturkoglu opened the scoring in the ninth minute, finishing a cross at the far post from close range.
Kokcu doubled the lead just before the half-hour mark with a stunning 25-meter curling free kick that tucked into the top right corner. Although Felicio Milson managed to pull one back for Zvezda in the final minutes, they couldn't find the equalizer. Red Star's next challenge is against Inter Milan on Wednesday, October 2.