European football: Nwaneri forces late own goal to cap dramatic Dortmund comeback
Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri had a dramatic impact on his early Borussia Dortmund career, forcing a deflected late own goal to seal a 3-2 comeback win at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. Dortmund trailed 2-0 after an hour before scoring three times in the final half-hour, with Nwaneri's deflected shot four minutes from time proving decisive; elsewhere, promoted side Elversberg beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-3 to make it two wins from two, and Bayer Leverkusen thrashed Union Berlin 4-0.
In Spain, Athletic Bilbao thrashed Atlético Madrid 3-0 at San Mamés with goals from Nico Williams, Robert Navarro and Oihan Sancet, securing back-to-back wins for coach Edin Terzic after an opening two-match losing run, while Real Madrid lost 1-0 at Real Betis ahead of Barcelona's trip to Valencia. In Italy, Ché Adams struck late as Torino came from behind to beat Fiorentina 2-1, leaving the two-time champions bottom of Serie A having lost their opening three games by an aggregate of 9-1 and been booed off by their own supporters; Inter were due to host Napoli later in a clash of last season's top two.
In short
- Nwaneri's deflected shot completes Dortmund's 3-2 comeback at Hoffenheim
- Athletic Bilbao thump Atlético Madrid 3-0 in La Liga
- Fiorentina lose again, sit bottom of Serie A after 9-1 aggregate defeats
Explained simply
European football is organised through national leagues, where clubs play a season of matches to decide standings and titles. Germany’s Bundesliga, Spain’s La Liga and Italy’s Serie A are among Europe’s leading leagues, and results across a weekend can affect teams’ positions and prospects.
Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim are Bundesliga clubs; Dortmund had brought in young midfielder Ethan Nwaneri on loan from Arsenal, meaning he can play for Dortmund temporarily while Arsenal retain his registration. In Spain, Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid are established La Liga sides, while Real Madrid and Barcelona are also competing for the title.
In Italy, Torino and Fiorentina play in Serie A, where a poor start can leave a club under pressure near the bottom of the table. The league’s standings also matter for qualification to European competitions, while promotion and relegation connect the top division with lower leagues.
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