Bayer Leverkusen opened their Champions League campaign with a resounding 4-0 win at Feyenoord on Thursday, running riot in the first half.
Florian Wirtz scored two, while Alejandro Grimaldo also got on the scoresheet and there was an own goal from the Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther as Leverkusen made it 4-0 at half-time, with the home side jeered off the pitch by their own supporters.
It proved a sobering start for Feyenoord, Dutch runners-up last season but struggling to find form since the departure of Arne Slot for Liverpool.
Leverkusen thoroughly outplayed them in the first 45 minutes and then competently dealt with an attempted home comeback after the break. Leverkusen, who became the first team to finish a Bundesliga season unbeaten as they romped to the title last campaign, were ahead in the opening five minutes as Wirtz took advantage of a defensive slip by Ramiz Zerrouki to open their account.
The Dutch international Jeremie Frimpong then set up the next two goals with his strong running down the right flank, carving up the home defence. The first was for Grimaldo in the 30th minute with some help from a clever no-look pass by Victor Boniface and the next a precision cross to the back post to find Wirtz flying in to convert unchallenged in the 36th minute.
Just when it seemed it could not get worse for the Dutch side, Leverkusen went four up on the stroke of half-time. A free-kick found the centre back Edmond Tapsoba at the back post as his header back into the danger zone struck Wellenreuther on the foot and ricocheted slowly backwards over the line for an own goal.
Quinten Timber, the Feyenoord captain, had a good chance to pull one back 10 minutes into the second half but was denied by a strong save from the Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. While the home side showed more spirit and energy in the second half, they rarely threatened to score, although a 74th-minute effort from the substitute Ayase Ueda was ruled out for offside.
Leverkusen went close to a fifth goal as the match went into stoppage time, with David Hancko clearing off the line from Aleix García. Leverkusen play Milan at home in their next Champions League encounter on 1 October while Feyenoord face Girona the next day.
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Elsewhere, a fortuitous goal from the winger Kerem Akturkoglu and a superb free-kick by his Turkish compatriot Orkun Kökcü earned Benfica a 2-1 victory at Red Star Belgrade.
Akturkoglu opened the scoring for the Portuguese side in the ninth minute, converting a cross at the far post from close range. Kökcü then doubled the advantage a minute before the half-hour mark with a meticulously placed free-kick from around 25 metres, finding the net just inside the top right corner.
Red Star reduced the deficit when Felício Milson was played through and scored from close range four minutes before time, but they were unable to find an equaliser.
Full roundup to follow.
