Haaland Masterclass in Man City Win

Manchester City emerged victorious with a 3-1 win against Young Boys, continuing their flawless run in the Champions League group stage.

Erling Haaland, overcoming a significant goal drought in the competition, scored twice in the second half, contributing crucially to City's win.

Haaland's Champions League dry spell, lasting 543 minutes over five games, ended with a converted penalty and a powerful right-footed strike. The victory wasn't without its challenges, as Young Boys momentarily leveled the score following Manuel Akanji’s opening goal for City. Meschack Elia responded swiftly with an impressive chip over City's goalkeeper, Ederson.

The game also saw a Julian Alvarez goal disallowed due to a preceding handball by Jack Grealish, as determined by VAR. However, Haaland proved to be the decider, first with a penalty after Rodri was brought down, followed by a late sharp finish, securing City's lead. The team now needs just one more win in their remaining three games to advance to the knockout stages.

Guardiola, Manchester City's coach, expressed his lack of concern over Haaland's performance, praising his constant goal-scoring threat. He acknowledged the team missed key players like Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan but was confident in Haaland's abilities. "It's about playing as much good as possible because he's going to score until the last days he plays football," Guardiola remarked to TNT Sports.

The match in Bern was marked by City's early dominance, yet Young Boys also created significant opportunities. Notably, City adjusted to playing on an artificial pitch, a challenge that Guardiola highlighted post-match. He emphasized the team's excellent positional game, despite initial struggles with physical aggression and player positioning.

Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola after the match // Getty Images

Guardiola also defended Haaland against unrealistic scoring expectations, focusing instead on the striker's consistent performance and goal creation. He stressed the importance of Haaland's drive to improve, rather than just his goal-scoring record.

With this key victory, City's focus now shifts to the upcoming Manchester derby, where they'll face rivals Manchester United.