Own Goal Gifts Osimhen’s Napoli Win at Sporting Braga

*Arsenal celebrate return to UCL after six years with 4-0 defeat of PSV

Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report

Victor Osimhen and his Napoli teammates were gifted 2-1 victory at Sporting Braga last night after Sikou Niakate own goal handed the Italian League champions a UEFA Champions League opening victory in the final minutes of the clash in Portugal.

Osimhen hit the woodwork and provided the assist that helped Captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo Fire Napoli to the front in the added time of the first half.

The Super Eagles frontman fired several off targets in the second half to continue his goal-drought in a number of matches running.

Rudi Garcia’s Napoli looked to be sharing the spoils in Portugal when Bruma flicked home a perfect header from Rodrigo Zalazar’s cross with six minutes remaining.

But with two minutes to go Niakate thumped Piotr Zielinski’s cross into his own net to give Napoli the Group C win at a soaking Estadio Municipal.

Napoli are now level on three points with Real Madrid, who beat Union Berlin 1-0 and travel to Napoli in their next fixture early next month.

And the Italian champions will need to be more clinical in front of goal against one of the tournament favourites after missing a host of first-half opportunities and allowing Braga back into the match.

Garcia’s team could have been leading Braga, in the Champions League group stage for the first time since 2012, by three or four goals by the break.

And in the end Napoli had to be thankful that Pizzi’s stoppage-time effort somehow stayed out after crashing into the inside of Alex Meret’s near post.

Elsewhere, Manchester United were given a taste of what could have been as Harry Kane helped Bayern Munich to 4-3 victory over Erik ten Hag’s struggling side in their Champions League opener.

It was no secret that the Red Devils would have liked to have signed Kane from Tottenham in the summer, but instead England’s captain and record goalscorer opted for a career in Germany that has begun in stellar fashion.

At the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, the 30-year-old claimed both an assist and scored from the penalty spot to take his tally of goals this season to five in five games in all competitions.

At the Emirates Stadium in North London, Arsenal returned to the Champions League in style as they started their first campaign in six years with an impressive 4-0 win over PSV Eindhoven.

The Gunners wrapped up victory in their opening Group B game with a scintillating first half display that saw them race into a 3-0 lead on a rain-soaked night.

Bukayo Saka opened the scoring after eight minutes, pouncing on a rebound when PSV keeper Walter Benitez could only push Martin Odegaard’s into the England winger’s path. Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Odegaard contributed the other goals for the emphatic win for the Gunners.

RESULTS

UCL

B’Munich 4-3 Man Utd

Galatasaray 2-2 Copenhagen

Arsenal 4-0 PSV

Sevilla 1-1 Lens

R’Madrid 1-0 U’Berlin

Bragga 1-2 Napoli

Benfica 0-2 Salzburg

Sociedad 1-1 Inter

Europa Conference

Lille 2-0 Olimpija