UCL group stage week two is confirming what we all already knew – Champions League soccer simply slaps harder.
While Sporting CP and Benfica shocked their groups, Manchester City and Liverpool pulled off improbable wins at home.
This week’s group stage action had too many banging golazos to narrow it down to just five, so here are some honorable mentions in no particular order.
Honorable Mentions:
Jude Bellingham – Borussia Dortmund
British teenager Jude Bellingham snuck in the opening goal – but his old teammate had the last laugh.
Tjaronn Chery – Maccabi Haifa
Israel’s Maccabi Haifa shocked the world by taking an early lead against PSG, but the Parisians fought back with Neymar, Mbappe, and Messi all scoring.
Leroy Sane – Bayern Munich
Sane’s incredibly soft touch and control helped Bayern Munich past Barcelona, their second goal in five minutes.
Top Five UCL Goals of the week
5 – Alexis Saelemaekers – AC Milan
AC Milan is cooking right now, with objectively-handsome Frenchman Olivier Giroud leading the kitchen as head chef. Consider last year’s Serie A MVP Rafael Leão AC’s sous chef, and USMNT star Sergiño Dest the exciting new dish guy.
4 – Mohammed Kudus – Ajax
Liverpool’s defensive ineptitude notwithstanding, Kudus jams this shot into the top corner with some real emotion behind it, something no keeper’s going to stop anyway. Ajax looked the better side for a bit, but Liverpool won the match 2-1 at home.
3 – John Stones – Manchester City
The City defender brought his team back into it with this 80th-minute screamer from two yards outside the box. With everyone’s eyes on Haaland, nobody expected this absolute ripper from Handsome Squidward look-a-like, John Stones.
2 – Arthur Gomez – Sporting CP
This goal was the nail in Tottenham’s coffin during Sporting CP’s first-ever UCL home win over a Premier League opponent. The double nutmeg makes this goal an instant classic that should be worth three points.
1 – Erling Haaland – Manchester City
Just four minutes after Stones started the job, Haaland finished it, scoring the most improbable and acrobatic of goals, elevating his calf far above the shoulder line and somehow avoiding a high-kick penalty. The moment, meaning, and crescendo of this goal make it #1, an instant UCL classic.
Which goal was your favorite? Sound off below!
Featured Image: Pexels/Edward Eyer/ManchesterCityFC/UEFAChampionsLeague/DM