Spot on Balotelli earns AC Milan share of spoils

A controversial Mario Balotelli penalty earned AC Milan a 1-1 draw against Ajax.

The Dutchmen thought they had won it through Stefano Denswil’s 90th-minute header but there was still time for Balotelli to be felled by Mike van der Hoorn and the Italian converted from the spot.

Replays suggested contact by van der Hoorn on Balotelli was minimal.

Balotelli was unperturbed, however, and despite a recent miss against Napoli, the former Manchester City man kept cool to give Milan a share of the points.

Arda Turan scored late winner as Atletico Madrid fought back from a half-time deficit to beat Porto in their Group G clash at the Estadio do Dragao and continue their stunning start to the season.

Porto started well and claimed a deserved lead through Jackson Martinez’s early header. But Atletico improved after the break and Diego Godin drew them level near the hour mark before Turkey international Turan slotted home an 86th-minute winner.

The 2-1 success leaves Diego Simeone’s men with six points from their two Group G games and is further proof that the Rojiblancos could be a force to be reckoned with both in Spain and Europe this season.

Atletico are still unbeaten in all competitions with nine wins from 11 games and on Saturday claimed their first victory over arch rivals Real Madrid since 1999 with a 1-0 triumph at the Bernabeu.

Zenit St Petersburg and Austria Vienna both picked up their first points in Group G with a 0-0 draw in Russia.

The home side had the better chances overall but were hurt by the sending off of Axel Witsel just before half-time and could not find the breakthrough.

In Arsenal’s Group F, last season’s beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund got their campaign up and running with a 3-0 home win over Marseille.

Robert Lewandowski was on target either side of a poorly defended Marco Reus free-kick as Dortmund got their first Champions League points after defeat away to Napoli in their opener a fortnight ago.

Schalke top Group E after Julian Draxler scored the only goal as the Germans won 1-0 away to Basle in a game which was held up by a Greenpeace protest against Schalke sponsors Gazprom.

Draxler netted the winner in the second half of a contest which was halted after only four minutes when the protesters abseiled down from the roof of the Basle’s St Jakob-Park stadium.

The protesters were removed from the roof and were arrested by police.