Priceless Moments of the week: Landmark goals, unlikely heroes and unforgettable victories
Friday, November 10, 2023
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Andriy Lunin, Pepe and Ciro Immobile are among the protagonists in our Mastercard Priceless Moments of the Week for Matchday 4.
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Relive the landmark goals, remarkable storylines and late drama that defined this week's UEFA Champions League games with the Mastercard Priceless Moments of the week from Matchday 4.
Late replacement Lunin denies Braga
Andriy Lunin may have expected an uneventful evening after being named on the bench for Real Madrid's encounter with Braga, but an injury to Kepa Arrizabalaga in the warm-up meant the 24-year-old was belatedly handed his first Champions League start in over 12 months. Needing only a point to secure a last-16 berth, Carlo Ancelotti's side conceded a penalty after just four minutes when Lucas Vázquez fouled Cristian Borja, but Lunin came to the hosts' rescue, his one-handed save from Álvaro Djaló providing the platform for a 3-0 victory which clinched Madrid's place in the knockout stage.
Age just a number for Pepe
Having become the oldest outfield player to appear in the UEFA Champions League on Matchday 3, veteran defender Pepe set another landmark in Porto's 2-0 triumph at home to Antwerp. An Evanilson penalty and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp's dismissal had put the hosts firmly in control at the Estádio do Dragão, but the Portuguese centre-back put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time when he nodded in Francisco Conceição's cross to become the competition's oldest scorer aged 40 years and 254 days.
Prodigy Bardghji's final say
It was a moment that Roony Bardghji will never forget. Copenhagen had already pegged ten-man Manchester United back to 3-3 by the time the teenage midfielder, lurking unmarked in the penalty area, met Harry Maguire's clearance with a sweetly struck half-volley in the 87th minute. Bardghji's shot flew into the ground and past United goalkeeper André Onana to spark euphoric celebrations among the Copenhagen supporters, whose side moved up to second place in Group A. Aged just 17 years and 358 days, Bardghji became the youngest-ever player to score a Champions League goal against three-time winners United.
Immobile's double ton
Ciro Immobile's 200th Lazio goal may well prove to be one of his most important. There was little to separate Group E rivals Lazio and Feyenoord until first-half stoppage time, when the veteran striker latched onto Felipe Anderson's through ball, rounded goalkeeper Justin Bijlow and finished coolly into an empty net to break the deadlock. Since 2016/17, only Robert Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane have scored more goals for a single team in Europe's top five leagues than Immobile, who left the field to a standing ovation shortly after the hour mark.
Shakhtar leave Barça waiting
A point against Shakhtar would have sealed a first knockout stage qualification in three years for Barcelona, but the Ukrainian side had other ideas. Xavi Hernández's team struggled to turn their early possession into clear-cut openings and the home side took full advantage, Danylo Sikan heading Giorgi Gocholeishvili's cross past Marc-André ter Stegen to stun the five-time winners in Hamburg. It was Shakhtar's third victory in 11 meetings with the Catalan club and kept alive their hopes of a top-two finish in Group H.