UEFA Champions League Update

By: Gyang Dakwo

Manchester United in danger of making an early exit from the Champions League after crashing to a 3-2 home defeat to Galatasaray with Arsenal also suffering a shock loss to Lens.

Rasmus Hojlund twice put United in front, but they slipped to a sixth defeat in nine games as Wilfried Zaha, Kerem Akturkoglu and Mauro Icardi struck for the Turkish giants.

It continues a worrying run of form under Erik ten Hag for United, who are bottom of the group and 10th in the Premier League having lost six of their past 10 games.

United have lost their opening two games of a Champions League group for the first time.

Likewise Arsenal slumped to a first defeat of the season as Lens came from behind to win a pulsating Champions League clash 2-1 in France thanks to a fine second-half strike by Elye Wahi.

Gabriel Jesus gave the Premier League side an ideal start when he opened the scoring in the 14th minute to silence a raucous Stade Bollaert.

However, Adrien Thomasson soon brought last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up back on level terms and the visitors saw Bukayo Saka limp off before half-time.

Wahi, the 20-year-old striker who became Lens’ club-record signing when he joined at the start of the campaign, then fired home in the 69th minute and his side held on for a famous victory.

The result lifts them above Arsenal to the top of Champions League Group B on four points, one above Mikel Arteta’s side.

Meanwhile Real Madrid secured a dramatic 3-2 Champions League win away at Serie A champions Napoli thanks to another Jude Bellingham-inspired European night.

Carlo Ancelotti sealed three points on his return to Naples, as Vinicius Jr fired home Bellingham’s assist before the England star’s solo effort put Madrid 2-1 up at the break.

Napoli came out with intent in the second period and their hard work was rewarded when Piotr Zielinski equalised from the penalty spot.

Real grabbed the winner with just over 10 minutes left when Federico Valverde’s thunderbolt of a shot cannoned off the crossbar and went in via the back of goalkeeper Alex Meret.

The victory puts Carlo Ancelotti’s side at the top of Group C with six points from their opening two games, having beaten Union Berlin 1-0 in their first outing.