Champions League: Manchester City 4 (Foden 22, 57, Haaland 29, Cherki 90+1) Borussia Dortmund 1 (Anton 72)
Phil Foden outscored Erling Haaland as Manchester City continued their unbeaten start in the Champions League with a comfortable 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund.
Foden enhanced his claim for an England recall as he struck either side of yet another Haaland effort as City overcame the German outfit at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Dortmund rallied and pulled one back through Waldemar Anton with 18 minutes remaining but could not add another to set up a tight finish and substitute Rayan Cherki completed the scoring.
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City’s victory lifted them to 10 points after four games of the league phase and put them seemingly on course for comfortable progress to the knockout stages, in contrast to last season’s struggles.
Much had been made of Haaland’s outstanding form in the build-up to the clash against his former side.
Typically the Norwegian was on target, taking his tally for club and country this season to a staggering 27 goals from 17 appearances and his overall Champions League total to 54 from 52.
Yet for once he was not the headline act as Foden put himself firmly in the England frame for next week’s final World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
Foden grabbed hold of the game after Dortmund had controlled the early stages without creating a clear-cut chance.
He first tested Gregor Kobel with a rasping shot from just outside the area and then fired a free-kick straight at the keeper.
Those efforts proved sighters for his brilliant opener in the 22nd minute. Afforded plenty of space, Foden received a pass from Tijjani Reijnders and turned to caress a low shot beyond the reach of Kobel.
From then it seemed City could overrun the visitors. Moments later Haaland barged through to tee up Nico O’Reilly but his snap-shot was tipped over.
The second was not long in coming as Jeremy Doku picked up an attack after a Savinho ball had been half-cleared.
The Belgian skipped past a challenge and pulled back for Haaland to lash in an unstoppable shot on the turn.
Dortmund rallied briefly as Karim Adeyemi twice called Gianluigi Donnarumma into action but a dominant City had almost slowed the game to walking pace by the break.
Haaland shot at Kobel early in the second half before Foden increased the lead with another fine strike on 57 minutes.
Again fed by Reijnders, this time he had less room to work with but it did not matter as his exquisite first touch wrong-footed the defence and he curled into the bottom corner once more.
Serhou Guirassy shot at Donnarumma after O’Reilly lost possession and Adeyemi fired wide as Dortmund belatedly stirred.
Anton made it 3-1 when he turned in a Julian Ryerson a cross from a set-piece and John Stones blocked an Adeyemi shot.
But City finished strongly and Cherki, fresh from the bench, added a late fourth with the aid of a deflection.
Other results:
Qarabag 2 Chelsea 2
Newcastle United 2 Athletic Bilbao 0
Ajax 0 Galatasaray 3
Club Brugge 3 Barcelona 3
Benfica 0 Bayer Leverkusen 1
Inter Milan 2 Kairat 1
Marseille 0 Atalanta 1
