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Erling Haaland‘s beautiful strike accomplished a 2-1 comeback win for Manchester City in opposition to his former membership Borussia Dortmund within the Champions League on Wednesday.
The Bundesliga membership went forward via English midfielder Jude Bellingham however Metropolis equalised via John Stones and Haaland’s acrobatic end gained it late on.
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The consequence sees Pep Guardiola’s males sit prime of Group G after back-to-back victories with six factors. Dortmund observe with three factors, with FC Copenhagen and Sevilla every on some extent.
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Table of Contents
1. Haaland’s wonderful act completes Metropolis comeback
Who else however Erling Haaland to pop up with a late winner as Manchester Metropolis fought again from a aim all the way down to beat former membership Borussia Dortmund?
The Norwegian striker scored his thirteenth aim in eight video games since arriving on the Etihad Stadium from Dortmund in the summertime and this might need been the most effective of the lot.
Metropolis, sluggish within the first half, seemed set to drop factors after Jude Bellingham’s knowledgeable header had put the guests 1-0 up just for John Stone to attain with a rocket from 20 yards to make it 1-1. Dortmund had, up till the 84th minute, completed an excellent job of limiting their former striker to a few half possibilities till Joao Cancelo bent in a cross from the left and Haaland acrobatically caught out a leg on the again publish to punch the ball previous Alexander Meyer.
Meyer nearly appeared shocked that Haaland had managed to one way or the other information the ball again into the online, and his smile afterwards stated every part about how joyful he was with the end. The discuss already this season has been about whether or not Haaland might be the distinction for Man Metropolis within the Champions League this season and, with a second of brilliance, he was in opposition to Dortmund.
2. Grealish’s sluggish begin in 12 months 2 continues
After a yr bedding into life at Man Metropolis, this was speculated to be the season when Jack Grealish confirmed why the membership had been so eager to spend £100 million to deliver him in from Aston Villa, however his marketing campaign is off to a sluggish begin.
He hasn’t been helped by an damage which noticed him miss video games in opposition to Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest however handed a begin in opposition to Dortmund, he struggled to take his probability. He wasn’t alone in having a under par first half as Man Metropolis didn’t create a significant probability throughout the first 45 minutes, however when it got here time for Pep Guardiola to make adjustments earlier than an hour was on the clock, Grealish was certainly one of three sacrificed alongside Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan.
One of many causes Metropolis had been open to letting Raheem Sterling depart in the summertime was a perception that this season would see Grealish start to copy his kind at Villa. It is solely September and there is a lengthy method to go, however Grealish would have hoped for extra from his first few video games of the brand new season.
3. Bellingham exhibits why he’ll be on switch radar
Jude Bellingham dodged the inevitable query about in the future returning to play in England whereas he was on media duties on the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening however the expectation is that it’s going to occur finally. The 19-year-old, who scored with a poacher’s header from Marco Reus‘ volley into the field, was so assured in Dortmund’s three-man midfield that he can have nearly actually caught Pep Guardiola’s eye — and there have been solutions he’s already on Metropolis’s radar with director of soccer Txiki Begiristain eyeing up eyeing up midfield reinforcements forward of subsequent summer season.
Manchester United and Liverpool would even be curious about signing Bellingham, however Metropolis would again themselves to land certainly one of Europe’s greatest younger gamers — simply as they did with Haaland. Metropolis have considered Haaland’s arrival — within the face of competitors from each certainly one of Europe’s prime golf equipment — as one thing of a watershed second for his or her recruitment and imagine they’ve proven the Etihad to be the place the place gamers can each win trophies and enhance, significantly beneath Guardiola. You possibly can already sense Metropolis engaged on their pitch.
Manchester Metropolis: Ederson 6, John Stones 7, Joao Cancelo 7, Nathan Ake 6, Akanji 6, Rodri 6, Ilkay Gundogan 6, Kevin de Bruyne 6, Jack Grealish 5, Riyad Mahrez 5, Erling Haaland 7.
Subs: Bernardo Silva 6, Phil Foden 7, Julian Alvarez 7, Kalvin Phillips 6.
Borussia Dortmund: Alexander Meyer 6, Thomas Meunier 7, Raphael Guerreiro 6, Niklas Sule 7, Mats Hummels 7, Emre Can 6, Salih Ozcan 7, Jude Bellingham 7, Marco Reus 7, Giovanni Reyna 6, Anthony Modeste 6.
Subs: Nico Schlotterbeck 6, Donyell Malen 6, Youssoufa Moukoko 6, Karim Adeyemi 6.
BEST: Erling Haaland, Manchester Metropolis.
He is within the workforce to attain essential targets, and this was an enormous one. It was a prime end from a participant in unbelievable kind.
WORST: Riyad Mahrez, Manchester Metropolis.
Metropolis did not have a shot on course within the first half, and it was no shock that Mahrez was one of many gamers hooked by Guardiola after 58 minutes.
Haaland’s aim — fairly exceptional.
https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1570152106535038977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
A frame-by-frame breakdown of the aim.
https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1570154355898347520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“We scored two great targets at the moment — mine was a bit higher, actually. It was a pleasant cross from Cancelo.” — Erling Haaland evaluating his aim with that of teammate John Stones.
“Yeah I knew it [would be him] to be trustworthy. Not many individuals know the way to cease him. We did a very good job tonight after which he did what he does — sadly for us.” — Jude Bellingham, on ex-Dortmund teammate Haaland.
– Erling Haaland has scored in 6 of his final 7 dwelling video games within the Champions League. The lone exception? A house recreation with Dortmund in opposition to Manchester Metropolis on April 14, 2021. And his 26 targets within the competitors at the moment are greater than notable greats Robin van Persie and Hernan Crespo (25 every).
– Manchester Metropolis at the moment are driving a 20-game unbeaten streak on the Etihad in Champions League play. Spectacular? Nonetheless nowhere close to Barcelona‘s 38, which is the longest dwelling undefeated streak within the competitors.
Manchester Metropolis: A go to to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday earlier than the worldwide break. As soon as again, two dwelling fixtures on the docket — the derby in opposition to Manchester United on Oct. 2 after which a return to Champions League group stage motion in opposition to FC Copenhagen on Oct. 5.
On a associated observe, the Premier League has postponed City’s Oct. 19 game in opposition to Arsenal in order that the Gunners might accommodate a rearranged Europa League recreation in opposition to PSV Eindhoven. Arsenal risked forfeiting the factors after the unique match in opposition to PSV — as a result of be performed on Thursday — was unable to go forward as a result of policing points in London regarding occasions within the capital following the demise of Queen Elizabeth II.
Borussia Dortmund: It is the return of the Revierderby with newly promoted rivals Schalke 04 visiting on Saturday. Following the worldwide break, its a visit to FC Cologne on Oct. 1 after which off to Sevilla on Oct. 5 for a Champions League group stage match.