Champions League news: Erling Haaland brace fires Man City past Porto

Erling Haaland struck twice in the second half as Manchester City opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over FC Porto at the Estádio do Dragão.

City were far from ruthless in the first half, with Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa producing several important saves to keep the hosts level. 

But the pressure eventually told after the break as Haaland headed Man City in front before adding a second in stoppage time.

The result gives Enzo Maresca a winning start to his first Champions League campaign as Manchester City manager and extends his perfect record to four victories from four competitive matches.

Porto resistance finally broken

Porto had the intimidating home atmosphere behind them and made Man City work for the breakthrough, but the statistics ultimately told a different story.

City controlled more than 70% of possession and registered 20 shots, with 10 on target. Porto, meanwhile, failed to register a single attempt on target throughout the match.

Costa was particularly impressive during the opening 45 minutes.

The Porto goalkeeper first denied Haaland's powerful header before making another excellent save to keep out the striker's effort after Matheus Nunes' cross. 

He then reacted quickly to prevent Rayan Cherki from converting the rebound.

That resistance meant Man City went into half-time without the goal their dominance arguably deserved.

It did not take long for the deadlock to disappear after the interval.

Two minutes into the second half, Phil Foden drove forward before Cherki found Enzo Fernandez, whose lofted delivery picked out Haaland. 

The Norwegian produced an excellent header into the corner beyond Costa to finally give Man City the lead.

Haaland continues rewriting the record books

Once Haaland found the breakthrough, there was little doubt that City would see the game out.

The striker's second arrived in stoppage time, when Rayan Ait-Nouri's low delivery found Haaland inside the area and he calmly finished into the bottom corner.

It was another reminder of the Norwegian's extraordinary efficiency in the Champions League.

The brace took Haaland to 59 goals in 59 Champions League appearances, making him just the seventh-highest scorer in the competition's history despite being only 26. 

He also moved level with Sergio Agüero on 36 Champions League goals for Man City.

Haaland's record is becoming increasingly remarkable. 

He remains the fastest player to reach 50 Champions League goals, doing so in just 49 appearances, and has now scored 59 times in the competition across spells with Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and Man City.

READ NEXT: Champions League betting tips: FC Porto vs Man City prediction, preview, odds and team news

News Lab 24 writers

News Lab 24 writers is the editorial team behind News Lab 24's sports news, betting guides, analysis, and educational content.

Our contributors cover football, rugby, basketball, Formula 1, MMA, boxing, tennis, cricket, and sports betting, delivering accurate, engaging, and reader-focused content designed to inform sports fans and bettors alike.

From breaking news and expert insights to evergreen guides and betting explainers, our goal is to help readers stay informed and make more confident decisions.

Previous
Previous

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid betting tips: Champions League prediction, odds and line-ups

Next
Next

Champions League betting tips: Real Madrid vs Inter Milan preview, predictions, odds and team news