Haaland Scores Again As City Maintain Champions League Progress
The second week of the Champions League brought a few surprising results – but there was a familiar name among the goals at the Etihad Stadium.
Sports shops in Manchester may find more fans purchasing Manchester City shirts this week after the team secured a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund – with the name Haaland likely to be printed on the back.
The Norwegian international scored his 13th goal of what already promises to be a prolific season with an acrobatic volley to secure a late victory against the club City signed him from this summer.
Speaking after the game, coach Pep Guardiola compared the strike to a famous acrobatic goal scored by his footballing mentor Johan Cruyff against Atletico Madrid.
The goal came at the end of a match a dogged and tactically astute Dortmund side looked set to win after England midfielder Jude Bellingham headed them in front, until a late rally produced a 20-yard thunderbolt from John Stones to equalise before Haaland’s winner.
Having already bagged Premier League hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, the sky could be the limit for Haaland this year – as well as his team.
City’s victory gave them two wins from two after their 4-0 win away to Sevilla on matchday 1, with their strong start contrasting with the fortunes of other English sides in the competition.
Liverpool did snatch a late winner of their own to beat Ajax 2-1 at Anfield, but they still have much to do to progress from their group after an opening night 4-1 thrashing by Napoli. Tottenham followed their 2-0 opening night win over Marseille with defeat by the same score against Sporting Lisbon, while Chelsea followed their defeat in Zagreb with a 1-1 draw at home to Red Bull Salzburg.
While others stutter, the 2021 finalists roll on. Could this finally be their year?