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Lionel Messi moved into second place on the all-time list of Champions League goalscorers with his 27th career hat-trick as
Barcelona beat Ajax 4-0 at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night.
Arsenal got their campaign off to the ideal start as second-half goals by Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey secured a 2-1 win away to Marseille.
However, Jose Mourinho's return to the Champions League with Chelsea started in dismal fashion as Swiss Champions FC Basel came from behind to seal a stunning 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge.
Here at home in the Absa Premiership, Platinum Stars beat Pretoria University 1-nil and Maritzburg United overcame 10-man Mpumalanga Black Aces 2-nil.
Moroka Swallows handed SuperSport United their first Premiership defeat of the new season, following a 2-1 victory in Pretoria.
Struggling Orlando Pirates edged Polokwane City 1-0 at Orlando Stadium.
Meanwhile: Major rivals South Africa and Nigeria were drawn together in the first round of the 2014 African Nations Championship.
Mali and Mozambique complete a tough Group A in a tournament for home-based footballers only - to be staged in January and February in South Africa.
Group B comprises Zimbabwe, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Morocco.
The Nations Championship follows the traditional Confederation of African Football format with group winners and runners-up advancing to the quarter-finals.
