Voluntary but lacking in efficiency, the Losc bowed heavily against the Dutch eliminated five months ago from Tottenham's last European goal.
The march was too high for Lille: despite a good performance, the Losc was unable to cope with the superiority of Ajax Amsterdam and was swept (3-0), Tuesday, September 17 during the first day of the tournament. Champions League.
The semi-finalists of the previous edition displayed their technical qualities to outclass Lillois too clumsy and febrile. The Dutch won with goals from Quincy Promes (18th), Edson Alvarez (50th) and Nicolas Tagliafico (62). Despite the departure of two of his nuggets that had greatly contributed to the great European course last season – central defender Matthijs de Ligt and midfielder Frenkie de Jong – Ajax showed he had lost none of his superb summer.
Thus, the players of Erik ten Hag multiplied the actions and technical gestures of high class throughout the game against helpless Lille who have not yet unworthy. But their lack of realism has prevented any possibility of creating surprise.
Lille lack of efficiency
" There is obviously a significant gap, but I still find that the score is severe. "Analyzed the Lille coach, Christophe Galtier. " We played as we wanted to play, creating danger. The match boils down to efficiency in both surfaces. They had maximum efficiency, and we did not have any. He added, recalling that it is " the goalkeeper of Ajax who was elected man of the match, it shows that he knew how to make the stops. They are terribly strong offensively, but we took a lesson in realism. "
From the start of the match, the Lille could have benefited from a penalty when Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen is held back in the box by Joel Veltman but neither the referee nor the VAR (video assistance to the referee) ) did not intervene. After the opening of the score Promes, the mastiff could have equalized on a shot from Ikoné repelled by goalkeeper André Onana, before the recovery of Osimhen just passed (45th). The Lille were then punished after the locker room on a nice shot by Alvarez (2-0) and a header from Tagliafico on corner (3-0).
Lille, who has never abdicated, still harvest two huge opportunities in the second half by Osimhen of the head (58th) and Zeki Celik (78th), who stumble on an uncrossable Andre Onana. In success, the goalkeeper of Ajax is then saved by his post on a cover of Yusuf Yazici (89th).
September 17 will be a day to forget for Losc, who was returning to the group stage of the Champions League after seven years of absence. Indeed, before the meeting, 303 supporters were arrested by the local police "After disturbances of public order in Strandvliet metro station", close to the Johan Cruyff ArenA.
Liverpool, defending champion, beaten in Naples
The Losc was able to measure the gap that separated the major European teams and will still have much to do in two weeks against Chelsea, his next opponent in the Champions League, which also started poorly his European campaign by being beaten at home by Valencia on a Rodrigo goal at the 75th (1-0).
In Naples, defending champion Liverpool was trapped by an enterprising and uncomplicated Italian formation. Carlo Ancelotti's team scored both goals late in the game by Belgian international Dries Mertens on a penalty (82) and then by Spanish striker Fernando Llorente, timely to take advantage of a misunderstanding of the English defense and fool Adrian, the Reds (90 + 2) goalkeeper.
In Dortmund, Barça resisted the German assault, well helped by his goalkeeper … German Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who notably stopped a penalty shot by Marco Reus (57th). Finally, the day's score came from Salzburg who outclassed Genk 6-2 with a hat-trick of Erling Braut Haland.
