Wed Sep 17 21:41:00 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**Van Dijk’s Late Header Snatches Thrilling Victory for Liverpool in Champions League**
**LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND** – Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk’s dramatic injury-time header secured a 3-2 victory against a resilient Atletico Madrid side at Anfield on Wednesday night, continuing the Reds’ impressive start to the season. The win came after a topsy-turvy match that saw Liverpool squander a two-goal lead, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.
Liverpool initially dominated, racing to a 2-0 lead within the first six minutes thanks to goals from Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah. However, Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente, who haunted Liverpool in 2020, struck twice, once in first-half stoppage time and again in the 81st minute, leveling the score and silencing the Anfield crowd.
Despite the setback, Liverpool pressed on, and Van Dijk rose highest in the second minute of added time to head home the winning goal, sparking jubilant celebrations.
“We need to maybe get back to winning a bit simpler and easier,” said Robertson after the game. “It’s a great thing to be able to go to the end, but when you are 2-0 up, it should have been a more comfortable night.”
Elsewhere in the Champions League, title holders Paris Saint-Germain launched their campaign with a dominant 4-0 victory over Atalanta, despite a missed penalty. Bayern Munich avenged their 2012 final defeat by overcoming Chelsea 3-1, led by a Harry Kane double. Inter Milan also secured a 2-0 win against Ajax in a rematch of the 1972 European Cup final.
Newcomers Bodo/Glimt and Pafos impressed with hard-fought draws against Slavia Prague (2-2) and Olympiakos (0-0), respectively. Bodo/Glimt’s result marked Norway’s return to the Champions League after an 18-year absence, while Pafos became the first Cypriot team in the competition since 2017.
First Piper 