UCL Update: Haifa stun Juve as Copenhagen hold ten-man Man City

Maccabi Haifa have won their first Champions League game in 20 years after Omer Atzili’s double helped the Israeli side beat Juventus 2-0 in their group stage game.

In the other early match Manchester City were held to a goalless draw in Denmark by Copenhagen after missing a penalty, having a man sent off and a goal disallowed, with the VAR involved in all three incidents.

Haifa had the perfect start at a rocking Sammy Ofer Stadium on Tuesday., taking the lead in the seventh minute when winger Atzili headed home Pierre Cornud’s cross, which left Juve keeper Wojciech Szczesny scrambling on the goal line as he failed to keep the ball out.

Five minutes later Tjaronn Chery’s free kick came off the bar before Szczesny was forced into another diving save from long range as Juve struggled to impose themselves on a team they beat 3-1 in the reverse fixture.

Haifa continued to pile the pressure on and it paid off just before half-time when Atzili doubled the lead with a stinging strike to Szczesny’s near post.

Juve had their chances but the visitors were denied time and again in the final third while American keeper Josh Cohen made a couple of fine saves to keep a clean sheet.

The result leaves third-placed Juve’s chances of qualifying for the knockout stages hanging by a thread with Paris St Germain and Benfica four points ahead before they play each other later on Tuesday.

The match may also have repercussions for the world Cup with Argentina’s Angel de Maria pulling up injured clutching his hamstring. His injury comes days after international teammate Paulo Dybala was injured while playing for Roma.

In Copenhagen City thought they had taken the lead 11 minutes in with a goal-of-the-season contender from Rodri, only for the strike to be ruled out for handball in the build-up.

The VAR stepped in again moments later to help City win a penalty for another handball, but Riyad Mahrez saw his spot kick saved by home goalkeeper Kamil Grabara.

A busy VAR then asked the referee to have another look at a foul by Sergio Gomez on the edge of the penalty area on the half hour mark, with the on-field official choosing to show the City full back a red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity.