Haaland stars in Man City’s comeback win
MANCHESTER: It just had to be Erling Haaland.
Haaland's acrobatic volley with the outside of his left foot completed Manchester City's late comeback against Borussia Dortmund — the German club he left in the offseason — in a 21 home win in the Champions League yesterday.
Leading after 79 minutes and keeping City unusually quiet, Dortmund was finally undone by an unlikely source as John Stones, a centre back playing out of position at right back, smashed a swerving shot high into the net from outside the area.
Haaland's winner was even more spectacular.
Joao Cancelo sent in a cross from the left with the outside of his right foot and Haaland leapt high to redirect the ball, at shoulder height, into the net.
It was his
26th goal in 21 games in the
Champions
League and the Norway striker has now scored in six straight games for City in all competitions, and 13 in eight games in total.
City has opened group G with two straight wins in its latest bid for a first Champions League title.
In Madrid, defending champion Real Madrid needed late goals by Federico Valverde and Marco Asensio to extend its perfect start to the season with a 20 win over Leipzig.
Battling Salzburg ensured it was disappointing first game in charge of Chelsea for new coach
Graham Potter as it earned a 11 draw, severely denting the 2021 winner’s chances of qualifying from group E.
Raheem Sterling put the disjointed London side ahead in the 48th minute but Noah Okafor equalised in the 75th minute with a low shot.
Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi combined superbly as Paris St Germain's nearperfect start to the season continued with a 31 win at Maccabi Haifa.
PSG tops group H with six points, level with Benfica which claimed a 21 victory at Juventus.
It is the first time Juventus has lost its first two Champions League matches.
Celtic was unable to build on a dominant start against Shakhtar Donetsk as it was held to a frustrating 11 draw.
Reo Hatate's run beyond the home defence gave Celtic an early lead in Warsaw, but Mykhaylo Mudryk equalised for the Ukrainians against the run of play in the 29th minute.
In Glasgow, Napoli made it backtoback wins in the Champions League with a 30 defeat of Rangers.
Defeat for 10man Rangers was sealed with late goals by Napoli substitutes Giacomo Raspadori and Tanguy Ndombele.
AC Milan secured its first Champions League win this season after goals from Olivier Giroud, Alexis Saelemaekers and Tommaso Pobega powered it to a 31 home victory over Dinamo Zagreb.
In Denmark, FC Copenhagen held Sevilla to a scoreless draw as both sides picked up their first point of their group G campaigns. — AP