German Teams up to a perfect start in CL

All three German teams managed to win their first match in this year´s Champions League season. Schalke 04 beat Olympiacos in Piraeus while Dortmund and Bayern won their home games. BVB defeated Amsterdam thanks to a last minute goal and FCB dominated the match against Valencia. This Thursday Gladbach, Leverkusen, Stuttgart and Hanover will play their matches in Europa League.

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It was the second time in Champions League history that all three German teams were able to win their very first matches and a perfect start for Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern Munich to season 2012/2013.

Schalke 04 beat Olympiacos Piraeus in Greece with 2-1 and were the first German team for 30 years to win a football match in the Greek city. Benedikt Hoewedes scored the lead for S04 Just before the break and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar made the second goal in minute 59 only one minute after the equalizer from Abdoun. Huntelaar missed the decisive shot two minutes later as his penalty landed on the post.

Borussia Dortmund´s match with Ajax Amsterdam in the strong group D with the German, Dutch, Spanish and English champion was very intense and both teams had several opportunities during the first half with Ajax being more dangerous. BVB put a foot on the pedal in second half starting to dominate the match for the first couple of minutes and staying the better team. Mats Hummels missed a penalty for Dortmund around 30 minutes before the end but Robert Lewandowksi finally rewarded BVB´s efforts in minute 88 with the important winning goal for Dortmund.

Bayern Munich had less trouble with FC Valencia in Allianz Arena. Germany´s record title holder dominated the match from the beginning leaving the Spanish team only very few chances. Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the lead in minute 38 assisted by Arjen Robben and Toni Kroos´ beautiful shot from about 20 meters decided the game about 15 minutes before the end. Former BVB player Valdez however got one back in minute 91 but it was too late for Valencia to benefit furthermore. In the fourth minute of extra time Mario Mandzukic missed a penalty for FCB.

The four German teams that play in Europa League will encounter their first opponent on Thursday night. Borussia Moenchengladbach meet AEL Limassol and VFB Stuttgart will play Steaua Bucuresti at 7 pm. Later in the night Bayer 04 Leverkusen will encounter FC Metalist Kharkiv and Hanover will play against FC Twente in Enschede at 9 pm.

All results of the first Champions League matchday are listed below:

Group A

Dinamo Zagreb                -              FC Porto                              0:2 (0:1)

Paris St. Germain             -              Dynamo Kyiv                       4:1 (3:0)                                            

Group B              

Montpellier HSC                -              FC Arsenal                          1:2 (1:2)

Olympiacos Piraeus          -              FC Schalke 04                     1:2 (0:1)

Group C              

Malaga CF                          -              Zenit St. Petersburg         3:0 (2:0)              

AC Milan                             -              RSC Anderlecht                  0:0 (0:0)

Group D             

Real Madrid                       -              Manchester City              3:2 (0:0)

Borussia Dortmund           -              Ajax Amsterdam              1:0 (0:0)

Group E

FC Chelsea                         -              Juventus Turin                 2:2 (2:1)

Shakhtar Donetsk              -              FC Nordsjaelland             2:0 (1:0)

Group F

Bayern Munich                   -              FC Valencia                        2:1 (1:0)

Lille OSC                            -              BATE Borisov                     1:3 (0:3)

Group G             

Celtic Glasgow                  -              SL Benfica                           0:0 (0:0)

FC Barcelona                     -              Spartak Moskva               3:2 (1:1)

Group H

Manchester United            -              Galatasaray                        1:0 (1:0)

Sporting Braga                  -              CFR Cluj                               0:2 (0:2)