Outsiders Trabzonspor stunned 2010 winners Inter 1-0 in the Champions League at the San Siro last night to heap more misery on the Italian side’s coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
Czech right-back Ondrej Celustka was the unlikely hero for the Turks, who are only playing in the Champions League on a wild card after Turkish champions Fenerbahce were kicked out over a match-fixing scandal.
Trabzonspor had actually already been knocked out in the third qualifying round by Benfica.
Although Inter enjoyed the greater number of chances, the visitors remained disciplined and organised and struck from their only real chance to gain a famous victory over their illustrious opponents.
The clocked marked 75 minutes when Halil Altintop collected the ball at the back post and smacked a volley against the bar, with Celustka picking up the loose ball and firing across Julio Cesar from a tight angle.
Spanish giants Real Madrid got off to a winning start in a hard fought 1-0 win over Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb.
A second-half goal from Argentinian Angel di Maria was the difference between the sides, though, the hosts had goalkeeper Ivan Kelava to thank for restricting the damage.
Real had started brightly creating several early chances, Cristiano Ronaldo firing in a third minute left-footed volley that flew wide while in-form French striker Karim Benzema went close on two occasions but both efforts went over the bar.
Dinamo, though, gradually came more into the game and whilst they found chances hard to come by they more than held their own and were deservedly all square at 0-0 at half-time.
Real, though, resumed their early dominance at the start of the second half keeping home ‘keeper Kelava busy.
He had only just saved from Xabi Alonso when Di Maria struck, superbly set up by Marcelo, in the 53rd minute.
Kelava kept the host in the match with several fine stops from Ronaldo and two from fullback Sergio Ramos as the Spanish side tried to ram home their advantage.
Manchester United were indebted to a superb Ryan Giggs goal as they drew 1-1 with Benfica a below-par performance in their Champions League Group C opener.
Early momentum
Giggs, 37, sent a rocket into the top corner three minutes before half-time to cancel out Oscar Cardozo’s 24th-minute opener for a Benfica side who seemed intent on puncturing their opponents’ early-season momentum.
Aleksander Kolarov’s late free-kick cancelled out Edinson Cavani’s goal as Manchester City started their first-ever Champions League campaign with a 1-1 draw with Napoli.
After both teams had hit the bar, Cavani gave the Serie A side a deserved lead after a quick counter-attack midway through the second half at the Etihad Stadium.
But former Lazio defender Kolarov scored with a fine curling effort to earn City, who are second in the Premier League due to goal difference, a point.
The two teams trail Bayern Munich, who top Group A after winning 2-0 at Villarreal.
The Bavarians got off to the perfect start with Toni Kroos firing home after six minutes and they never looked back in a commanding performance from the Germans.
They had a series of chances in the second half to finish off Villarreal before substitute Rafinha secured the win with 15 minutes left.
Summaries
Man. City 1
Kolarov 74;
Napoli 1
Cavani 69;
Villarreal 0
B. Munich 2
Kroos 7; Rafinha 76;
Lille 2
Sow 45; Pedretti 57;
CSKA Moscow 2
Doumbia 72, 90;
Inter 0
Trabzonspor 1
Celustka 75;
Benfica 1
Cardozo 24;
Man. United 1
Giggs 42;
Basel 2
F. Frei 39; A. Frei 84 pen;
Otelul 1
Pena 58;
Red cards: Salageanu (O) 82, Huggel (B) 88.
D. Zagreb 0
R. Madrid 1
Di Maria 53;
Red card: Marcelo (R) 73.
Ajax 0
Lyon 0
Group A
Man. City vs Napoli - 1-1
Villarreal vs Bayern Munich - 0-2
27/09/11: Bayern Munich vs Man. City
27/09/11: Napoli vs Villarreal
18/10/11: Napoli vs Bayern Munich
18/10/11: Man. City vs Villarreal
02/11/11: Bayern Munich vs Napoli
02/11/11: Villarreal vs Man. City
22/11/11: Napoli vs Man. City
22/11/11: Bayern Munich vs Villarreal
07/12/11: Man. City vs Bayern Munich
07/12/11: Villarreal vs Napoli
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| B. Munich | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Man. City | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Napoli | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Villarreal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Group B
Lille vs CSKA Moscow - 2-2
Inter vs Trabzonspor - 0-1
27/09/11: Trabzonspor vs Lille
27/09/11: CSKA Moscow vs Inter
18/10/11: CSKA Moscow vs Trabzonspor
18/10/11: Lille vs Inter
02/11/11: Trabzonspor vs CSKA Moscow
02/11/11: Inter vs Lille
22/11/11: CSKA Moscow vs Lille
22/11/11: Trabzonspor vs Inter
07/12/11: Lille vs Trabzonspor
07/12/11: Inter vs CSKA Moscow
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Trabzonspor | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| CSKA Moscow | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Lille | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Inter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Group C
Basel vs Otelul Galati - 2-1
Benfica vs Man. United - 1-1
27/09/11: Man. United vs Basel
27/09/11: Otelul Galati vs Benfica
18/10/11: Otelul Galati vs Man. United
18/10/11: Basel vs Benfica
02/11/11: Man. United vs Otelul Galati
02/11/11: Benfica vs Basel
22/11/11: Otelul Galati vs Basel
22/11/11: Man. United vs Benfica
07/12/11: Basel vs Man. United
07/12/11: Benfica vs Otelul Galati
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Basel | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Benfica | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Man. United | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Otelul Galati | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Group D
D. Zagreb vs Real Madrid - 0-1
Ajax vs Lyon - 0-0
27/09/11: Lyon vs D. Zagreb
27/09/11: Real Madrid vs Ajax
18/10/11: Real Madrid vs Lyon
18/10/11: D. Zagreb vs Ajax
02/11/11: Lyon vs Real Madrid
02/11/11: Ajax vs D. Zagreb
22/11/11: Real Madrid vs D. Zagreb
22/11/11: Lyon vs Ajax
07/12/11: D. Zagreb vs Lyon
07/12/11: Ajax vs Real Madrid
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| R. Madrid | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Ajax | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Lyon | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| D. Zagreb | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |