The UEFA Champions League 2021/22 witnessed its first major upset as Cristiano Ronaldo’s early goal couldn’t save Manchester United from a 1-2 defeat against Swiss champions Young Boys. Day 1 of the European competition saw big names make their mark – Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Romelu Lukaku getting goals. 

While Cristiano Ronaldo took 13 minutes to draw first blood on his return to Man United, Lewandowski scored two as Bayern Munich eased to a 3-0 win in Barcelona and Lukaku’s second-half header gave defending champion Chelsea a 1-0 win over Zenit St. Petersburg.

Juventus won 3-0 at Malmö, and Sevilla held Salzburg 1-1 after the visitors missed two penalties in a game with four.

Ronaldo made a record-equaling 177th appearance in the competition. Only CR7’s former Real Madrid teammate Iker Casillas has as many Champions League appearances.

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However, United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka was sent off in the 35th for a bad challenge and the home team pressed its advantage in the final third of the game.

Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu equalized in the 66th and Pefok capitalized on a poor back pass from Jesse Lingard to score Bern’s dramatic winner in the last minute of injury time.

Bayern hammered Barcelona 8-2 in the teams’ last meeting in the quarterfinals in 2020, and the home side seemed fearful of another rout after its summer of upheaval saw the departures of Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann. On Tuesday, Mueller opened the scoring for the German giants as Lewandowski followed with a brace. Barcelona lost 3-0. 

Meanwhile, defending champions Chelsea had to wait until the 69th minute for Lukaku to make the breakthrough against a stubborn St. Petersburg defense. The Belgium forward towered above a defender to meet César Azpilicueta’s cross with a header for his fourth goal in as many games for Chelsea since his return from Inter Milan.

Four penalties were awarded in the first half of Salzburg’s game at Sevilla, but the visitors missed two, leaving the score 1-1. A heavy rain shower added to the drama as it sent spectators scrambling for cover before the break.

With inputs from the Associated Press.