Babel seals new record goals tally for matchday one
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
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Ryan Babel's clincher in Beşiktaş's 3-1 win at Porto was the 54th and final goal from 16 games on matchday one, surpassing a high-water mark set in 2013/14.
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If the opening games are anything to go by then 2017/18 could be a season to savour after the 16 matches produced a record 54 goals.
There were 28 on Tuesday, a figure inflated by Paris's five at Celtic and six for Chelsea at home to Qarabağ. While Wednesday couldn't quite match that, Damjan Bohar's late equaliser for Maribor at home to Spartak Moskva took the tally across the two nights to 53, equalling the matchday one best set in 2013/14. A few moments later, Ryan Babel's clincher for Beşiktaş at Porto set a new record.
Matchday one goal tallies
2003/04 40
2004/05 31
2005/06 37
2006/07 42
2007/08 36
2008/09 36
2009/10 37
2010/11 44
2011/12 32
2012/13 43
2013/14 53
2014/15 43
2015/16 48
2016/17 50
2017/18 54
Only seasons under the current format have been considered. There were an incredible 63 goals scored on matchday one in 2000/01, when the UEFA Champions League had a second group stage.
