Manchester City powered into the Champions League knockout stages as Erling Haaland banished fears over his fitness with a double in Tuesday’s 3-0 win against Swiss side Young Boys. Pep Guardiola’s team have won all four of their Group G matches, ensuring their progress to the last 16 with two games to spare.
Haaland was fit to start at the Etihad Stadium after hurting his ankle in the first half of City’s 6-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. And the Norway striker showed there was no lingering injury issue as he took his Champions League goal tally to a remarkable 39 in 34 matches.
He put City ahead with a first half penalty and netted again with a brilliant long-range effort after Phil Foden’s eye-catching strike doubled the holders’ lead.
Young Boys had Sandro Lauper sent off in the second half of a one-sided contest that extended City’s impressive streak of winning all 23 of their home games in 2023. Sunderland hold the English record with 24 successive home wins, a mark that dates back to 1891 and 1892.
City are also unbeaten in their past 17 Champions League games and Guardiola now has the opportunity to rest players in the last two group matches if he wishes, instead prioritising Premier League fixtures against Tottenham and Crystal Palace.
Guardiola suffered a blow when Manuel Akanji was injured in the pre-match warm-up, forcing Kyle Walker to deputise for the Swiss defender.
But City defeated Young Boys 3-1 in Bern a fortnight ago and it didn’t take long for the treble winners to reestablish their supremacy.
RELENTLESS CITY
Rico Lewis should have given City the lead in the opening minutes when Jack Grealish picked him out six yards from goal, but the young midfielder’s shot was cleared off the line by Loris Benito.
Young Boys keeper Anthony Racioppi was in action moments later to repel Walker’s free-kick and deny Foden from the rebound.
City’s relentless pressure was rewarded in the 23rd minute when Matheus Nunes’s deft turn drew a foul from Lauper in the Young Boys area.
Haaland stepped up to take the penalty, calmly sending Racioppi the wrong way before marking the moment by replicating Didier Drogba’s leaping goal celebration.
Former Chelsea striker Drogba had challenged Haaland to copy either his or Gary Lineker’s goal pose while presenting him with an award recently.
Unable to convert Foden’s cross soon afterwards, Haaland wore the wry smile of a man who knew more City goals were only a matter of time.
Foden duly delivered in first half stoppage-time, conjuring a sublime solo effort as he controlled Grealish’s pass with a superb touch, skipped past Ulisses Garcia into the area and curled his shot into the far corner from five yards.
After curiously swapping shirts with a Young Boys captain Mohamed Ali Camara at half-time, Haaland put the result beyond doubt in the 51st minute.
Taking Lewis’s pass in stride, Haaland swivelled to unleash a thunderous strike that rocketed past Racioppi from the edge of the area. It was Haaland’s 15th goal this season and his 67th in 70 games for City.
Lauper was dismissed two minutes later for a second booking after a crude foul on Nathan Ake. With the game all but over, Guardiola was able to take off Haaland to rest him for Sunday’s crucial Premier League trip to Chelsea.
Source: eNCA
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