Champions League: David Luiz scores as Pafos fightback
Champions League debutants Pafos continue to punch well above their weight, as they hit back to draw 2-2 with Monaco on Wednesday.
David Luiz scored as Pafos twice came from behind to rescue a 2-2 draw with Monaco in the Champions League.
Pafos picked up their third draw of the league phase thanks to an 88th-minute own goal by Mohammed Salisu.
Monaco defender Salisu could do nothing as the ball rebounded in off him after Mons Bassouamina had hit the woodwork with a header from an inswinging corner, cancelling out Folarin Balogun's goal.
Pafos' set-piece proficiency had come to the fore in a frantic opening 18 minutes, too.
Former Chelsea and Arsenal defender David Luiz sent a powerful header home to draw the hosts level after Takumi Minamino's fifth-minute opener.
Balogun swiftly pounced on a defensive mix-up to restore Monaco's advantage, but having squandered the chance to put the result beyond doubt, the Ligue 1 side were duly punished.
Elsewhere, fellow minnows Kairat Almaty fell just short of an extraordinary comeback against FC Copenhagen.
Viktor Dadason, Jordan Larsson and Robert Silva put Copenhagen 3-0 up with just 17 minutes of normal time remaining at Parken.
Yet Dastan Satpaev gave Kairat hope before Olzhas Baybek set up a grandstande finale, but Copenhagen just about held firm to claim their first Champions League win this season.
Data Debrief: Age is just a number
Aged 38 years and 218 days, David Luiz became the second-oldest player to score a Champions League goal, behind only Pepe, who netted at the age of 40 years and 290 days for Porto vs Shakhtar Donetsk in December 2023.
David Luiz also became the oldest outfield player to start a team's first five Champions League matches in a season since Pavel Horvath for Viktoria Plzen in 2013-14.
The veteran campaigner made an impressive six clearances, while winning all three of his aerial duels and seven of his 10 duels overall.
