Champions League Results 2021: Scores, Highlights After Tuesday's Quarterfinal Ties

Real Madrid and Manchester City each picked up home victories in the first leg of their respective Champions League quarterfinal matchups as the UEFA season draws closer to crowning a champion. 

Madrid’s Vinicius Junior jumped into the starring role of Tuesday’s action netting two goals in his club’s 3-1 victory over Liverpool, while City required a 90th-minute goal from Phil Foden to eke out a win over Borussia Dortmund after controlling play for much of the match.

All four clubs will have a week to prepare for the second leg with the quarterfinals continuing on April 14. 

Here’s a look at Tuesday’s action.

Champions League Quarterfinal Results: First Leg

Manchester City 2-1 Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool

Tuesday’s Recap

Mohammed Salah picked up a massive away goal for the Reds in the 51st minute, but it was hardly enough to slow down a Real Madrid team playing on its home pitch—not with the touch displayed by Junior.

The 20-year-old forward barrelled his way through Liverpool’s defense to open the scoring after Toni Kroos led him with a pass from well beyond midfield. From there, it became a foot race to the ball between Junior and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Nathaniel Phillips. Neither was capable of catching Junior, however, as the Madrid star needed just one touch before putting the ball in the back of the net. 

It was a devastating counterattack by Madrid that gave the home club as much momentum as it had all night. After Junior broke open the scoring in the 27th minute, it was Marco Asensio following up with another goal for Madrid just 10 minutes later.

Madrid took a comfortable 2-0 lead into halftime and hardly had to worry about Liverpool mounting a comeback. Though the Reds maintained possession for 54 percent of the match, Liverpool fired off just seven shots with only one—Salah’s goal—reaching the net. 

Junior would add his second of the day in the 65th minute as the Spanish club finished off a first leg win.

Things were a bit dicier for Manchester City.

After dominating Dortmund for nearly 80 minutes, the Black and Yellows found the equalizer in the 84th minute thanks to team captain Marco Reus off a perfect feed from Erling Haaland. That put immense pressure on a MCFC club that had held on all game after Kevin De Bruyne opened up the scoring in the 19th minute for the home club. 

Fortunately, De Brunye remained on the pitch late in the action and found Ilkay Gundogan standing to the side of the keeper’s box with Foden in the 90th minute. De Brunye’s cross landed perfectly in front of Gundogan, who drew the defense away from Foden before sending the game-winning assist his teammate’s way. 

Five minutes of additional time weren’t enough for Dortmund to pull off another equalizer, and it heads home with a massive missed opportunity to put City on the heels heading into the second leg.