By DANIELLA MATAR
MILAN (AP) — Liverpool emphatically shook off its losing streak by beating Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday.
There were also comfortable victories for Chelsea and Bayern Munich, while Real Madrid, the competition’s top winners with 15 titles, maintained their perfect start to this season’s tournament with a 1-0 home victory over struggling Juventus.
“I don’t know if it’s a statement, but it’s a win and something to build on,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told TNT Sports. “I’ve been in the football business for a while so it’s not a relief. We’re obviously disappointed about losing games so it’s something we have to deal with, stick together and keep working.
“We don’t get carried away by the negative things that are happening. The only way you can play your game is by focusing on the task at hand.”
Liverpool traveled to Germany on a four-game losing streak that included a loss at home to Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday. Their recent defeats also included one against Galatasaray on the second day of the league phase of the continental tournament.
Frankfurt had beaten Galatasaray 5-1 and also lost by that score on Atlético de Madrid’s court.
Rasmus Kristensen gave the home team the lead in the 26th, but Liverpool equalized nine minutes later through Hugo Ekitike, a former Eintracht player who outspeeded three of his former teammates before beating Michael Zetterer. Ekitike did not celebrate, but raised his hands in an apologetic gesture.
Virgil Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté both headed corners within five minutes to give Liverpool a comfortable half-time lead.
Florian Wirtz contributed his first assist in the Champions League in the 66th, with which Cody Gakpo scored an easy goal. Four minutes later he had a new contribution for Dominik Szoboszlai’s definition from 30 meters.
Perfect Madrid
Bellingham scored his first goal of the season to break the tie in the 57th. Most of the credit went to Vinícius Júnior, whose maneuver down the left ended with a shot that bounced inside the far post. Bellingham was the quickest to react and pushed the ball into the net.
Madrid joined four other clubs, including Bayern, who are tied at the top of the league table with the ideal of nine points.
Juventus had just drawn their two previous games in Europe and have not won since September 13.
Teenage pranks
Three Chelsea teenagers shouted a goal in the beating of a 10-man Ajax team at Stamford Bridge. The first half produced five goals, a red card and three converted penalties.
After visiting midfielder Kenneth Taylor was sent off in the 15th minute for an ugly tackle on Facundo Buonanotte, Marc Guiu (19) and Caicedo put Chelsea ahead 2-0. Wout Weghorst scored from the penalty spot for Ajax.
But Argentine Enzo Fernández and Estêvão (18 years old) scored their own penalty goals to give Chelsea control at half-time. Estêvão became Chelsea’s youngest goalscorer in the Champions League, shortly after Guiu broke the record. Tyrique George (19 years old) extended the lead shortly after replacing Guiu at half-time.
In Munich, Lennart Karl (17 years old) became Bayern’s youngest scorer in the Champions League, leading the German giant to a 4-0 victory over Bruges. Colombian Díaz, Harry Kane and Nicolas Jackson also scored for Bayern.
Immediate impact
Substitute Roberto Navarro had an immediate impact as Athletic Bilbao earned its first points in this edition of the Champions League, coming from behind to beat Qarabag 3-1.
With the score at 1-1, Navarro took the field in the 65th and gave the hosts the lead five minutes later with a curling shot at the far post.
Qarabag, the Azerbaijan club that was surprisingly going perfectly after the first two days, took the lead after just 49 seconds thanks to Leandro Andrade’s goal.
But Gorka Guruzeta equalized shortly before half-time and put in final numbers near the end.
Victor Osimhen scored twice to help Galatasaray beat Bodø/Glimt 3-1, while Sporting Lisbon came from behind to beat 10-man Marseille 2-1.
Tottenham drew 0-0 in Monaco, and Atalanta drew 0-0 with Slavia Prague.
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