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The new Champions League season kick-started high on drama which involved shock upsets and some surprise victories. A few players lived upto ther reputation, while some failed light up the spark. However, there a few names,who do not usually grab the headlines, stood out from the rest of the squad with their stunning displays on matchday 1 and 2.We shed some light on 5 such players who left a mark in the competition after first round results:
#5 Ibrahim Afellay
The former Barcelona player stepped up to the plate, as he scored one and assisted as many in their surprise 3-2 victory over last season’s runners-up, Atletico Madrid.
Afellay joined Barcelona in 2011 but was loaned out to German side Schalke the following season and this summer as well, the former PSV Eindhoven forward was signed by the Greek outfit Olypiakos on a loan and since then, has gone on to make 2 league appearances.
The 28-year old Dutch winger set-up Arther Masuaku in the 13th minute opener and was involved in the second when Mitroglou dummied a cross from Dominguez, which rolled into the path of Afellay, who neatly slotted home in the bottom corner and gave the home side a commanding 2-0 lead.
The match ended 3-2 in favour of Olympiakos, with Ibrahim Afellay exhibiting sheer brilliance and proclaimed his best performance since his arrival.
#4 Yacini Brahimi
The Algerian scored a hat-trick as Porto demolished a hapless BATE Borisav 6-0 at home and as a result, catapulted to the first position in Group H.
The 24-year old was born in France to Algerian parents and after representing France at all youth levels, opted to play for Algeria at seniour level last year. After two unsuccessful spells with the Spanish side Grenada, the former Rennes man moved to Porto for 6 million euros this summer and has been a key player to the Portuguese club ever since.
Brahimi pounced on a poor throw from keeper Sergei Chernik to open the scoring after just five minutes. The former Grenada man got his second of the night, slaloming past three defenders before firing home from 20 yards to double his tally in a little over 30 minutes and completed his treble from a free-kick in the 57th minute when he was fouled by Edgar Olekhnovich.
Yacine Brahimi capped off an inspiring performance for the home side and with that hat-trick, he now leads this season’s Champions League goalscoring chart.
#3 Kevin Grosskreutz
The 26-year old assisted both the goals in Dortmund’s 2-0 win over Arsenal and chalked-off an impressive performance for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Grosskreutz, who was outstanding all night, released Immobile, who sprinted through the middle, trying to get away from Koscielny. Gibbs tried to intervene and Immobile momentarily slowed before accelerating, getting a fortunate bounce of the ball, and then shooting from right to left past Szczesny to put the hosts ahead. Further, three minutes into the second-half, Grosskreutz curled the ball past Bellerín and into space for Aubameyang, who rounded Szczesn and made a clinical finishing.
The Germany international displayed an excellent work-rate all evening to typify Dortmund's pressing style, and made vital contributions at both ends of the pitch and was the best player for Dortmund.
#2 Gervinho
The Ivorian international was a cardinal part of the Roma squad that thrashed Russian side CSKA Moscowa 5-1 in their opening game of Champions League. The former Arsenal man was on target twice, and even had an assist to his name.
When with the Gunners, the 27-year old had managed to find the net only twice in 11 Champions League appearances and equalled that tally with Roma in their first European outing of the season.
Gervinho slotted a pass between three defenders to Iturbe, who then had only goalkeeper Igor Afinkeev to beat and calmly found the target from the center of the area. Just 4 minutes later, Iturbe returned the favour as Gervinho collected a pass from him, stood in place as he faked one shot and then fired the ball in with the tip of his boot. A pass from Totti at Roma's end set up Gervinho's second strike, which also came from a sharp angle.
Roma managed to register a comprehensive victory over the visitors and their Ivorian forward, Gervinho, stole the limelight with his sensational performance.
#1 Carlos Tevez
Until the Juventus-Malmo clash, Carlos Tevez had scored his last Champions League goal during his Manchester United days. 5 years on, the Argentinian finally ended his goal-barren run as he bagged a brace in the second half to give Juventus a 2-0 victory over the Swedish side.
Tevez had not scored in the competition since hitting the net for Manchester United in a 2-2 draw with FC Porto at Old Trafford on April 7, 2009. He switched allegiance later that year when he joined rivals Manchester City but never managed to find the net in 4 years, before eventually moving to Turin last year.
Juventus struggled to find a breakthrough for most the time but finally found a way through in the 59th when Tevez played a one-two with Asamoah, who then backheeled it back into his path, for the Argentine to rifle into the bottom left corner and wrapped upfor the night after substitute Alvaro Morata won a free kick for Juventus on the edge of the area shortly before the final whistle.
Tevez was the best player amongst the black and white stripped outfit and incremented his European goal tally to 9
