Champions League: Salzburg let Lokomotiv off the hook in 2-2 draw

Salzburg is held to an entertaining draw at home by Russia's Lokomotiv Moscow; Atalanta beats Midtjylland.

Dominik Szoboszlai of RB Salzburg celebrates with team-mates after scoring his team's first goal on Wednesday. - AP

Salzburg let Lokomotiv Moscow off the hook when it was held to an entertaining 2-2 draw at home by the Russian side in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Austrian champion was leading 2-1 and completely in control only to be pegged back by an equaliser from substitute Vitali Lisakovich, who scored six minutes into his Champions League debut in the Group A game.

Portugal forward Eder, scorer of the winning goal in the Euro 2016 final against France, gave Lokomotiv the lead in the 19th minute with a header into the corner after Rifat Zhemaletdinov nodded on a corner at the near post.

The host turned the game around with two goals either side of halftime. Dominik Szoboszlai curled in the equaliser in the 45th minute and veteran Zlatko Junuzovic scored with a deflected shot after Patson Dako laid the ball back to him seven minutes after the restart.

Sekou Koita hit the post for Salzburg but it was caught after losing possession on the edge of its own area and Lisakovich levelled with a 75th minute header which bounced between goalkeeper Cican Stankovic and his near post.

Atalanta beats Midtjylland

Towering Colombian striker Duvan Zapata scored one goal and set up two more as Atalanta cruised to a 4-0 victory over Midtjylland in its Champions League Group D clash in driving rain at the MCH Arena in Herning on Wednesday.

It was a tough debut for the Danish side in the Champions League group stages as it created little up front and was under constant threat in defence, with Papu Gomez, Luis Muriel and debutant Aleksey Miranchuk also on target for the Italians.

Atalanta, which had a surprise run to the quarterfinals last season, tops the pool after the opening round of fixtures. Midtjylland visits Liverpool on Tuesday, while Atalanta hosts Ajax.

Atalanta's Alejandro Gomez (second left), celebrates scoring against Midtjylland at the MCH Arena in Herning, Denmark, on Wednesday. - AP

 

The Italians came into the game having been thumped 4-1 in Serie A at Napoli on Saturday and looked determined to erase that memory from the start as they took the game to their outgunned host.

Zapata broke free on the right side of the box early on but his shot from a tight angle rattled the post. He then forced an excellent save from home goalkeeper Jesper Hansen, whose fingertips denied the forward the opening goal.

The writing was on the wall, though, and two minutes later the striker put his side in front when a cross was cleverly headed into his path by Cristian Romero and Zapata rifled the ball past a helpless Hansen.

Atalanta doubled its advantage with a superb strike from Gomez, who collected a pass from Zapata 30 metres from goal and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

It was 3-0 before halftime as the lively Zapata's shot from the edge of the box was not held by Hansen in the wet and Muriel reacted quickest to turn home the loose ball.

Atalanta continued to threaten in the second half, with Miranchuk adding a superb fourth goal on his debut when he curled the ball into the corner of the net.