PSV ease to first UEFA Champions League win over 10-man Girona ...
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PSV Eindhoven got their UEFA Champions League campaign up and running after a 4-0 thumping of Girona, whose captain Arnau Martinez saw red 10 minutes after the interval.
Ryan Flamingo's opener caused confusion when it looked as if Malik Tillman's long throw was taken from inside the playing area, but replays showed that the American's back studs were touching the sideline by the barest of margins.
The 22-year-old then took advantage of reticent defending to drive towards the corner of the six-yard box and rifle the hosts' second in at the near post.
Things went from bad to worse in the second half for Girona, who picked up their first points of this Champions League season against Slovan Bratislava last time out.
Michael Oliver showed left-back Martinez a second yellow card for a lazy challenge on winger Noa Lang, and the English referee was under the spotlight once more with 13 minutes to play.
Substitute Ismael Saibari thought he had netted PSV's third of the evening, but Oliver whistled for a contentious foul by the scorer, whose attempts to hold off the Girona defence were deemed too strong.
But PSV would eventually grab a four-goal victory, with youngster Johan Bakayoko wrong-footing Paulo Gazzaniga from the edge of the area and Ladislav Krejci putting the ball into his own net late-on.
Elsewhere, Dinamo Zagreb continued their healthy start to the league phase with a 4-1 comeback win away to bottom side Slovan Bratislava.
The hosts took an early lead through Slovakian international David Strelec, but the competition's leakiest defence were once again found wanting as Dinamo ran riot from thereon in.
Dario Spikic equalised five minutes after Strelec's fifth-minute opener and Petar Sucic pulled the visitors in front on the half-hour mark.
Croatian striker Sandro Kulenovic struck a second-half brace to double his Champions League haul for the season and ensure Zagreb left the Slovakian capital with their second straight victory.
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