Erling Haaland demonstrated his world-class credentials once again, scoring twice to lead Manchester City to a 2-0 victory over FC Porto at the Estadio do Dragao. The Portuguese side, widely regarded as dark horses in this season’s UEFA Champions League alongside the likes of Como and Roma, found themselves outmatched despite a spirited performance under manager Francesco Farioli.
The opening half belonged largely to Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, whose exceptional reflexes kept the visitors at bay. Haaland appeared destined to break the deadlock early with a powerful header, only for Costa to pull off a magnificent save. The Portuguese international was called into action again shortly after, thwarting a promising exchange between Phil Foden and full debutant Ayyoub Bouaddi. Despite dominant displays from midfield duo Enzo Fernandez and Bouaddi, City went into the interval frustrated by their inability to convert chances.
The deadlock was broken less than two minutes into the second half. Fernandez delivered a precise cross into the penalty area, where Haaland met the ball with a low header that wrong-footed Costa and crept into the bottom corner of the net.
Buoyed by the opener, City briefly relaxed their grip, allowing Porto back into the contest. The host side pushed aggressively for an equaliser, forcing Enzo Maresca’s men into a series of defensive errors. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma endured a particularly nervous period, avoiding a penalty check for a challenge on Pepe due to an offside flag, before nearly gifting a goal to William Gomes following a misplaced pass.
Having narrowly held off Coventry City in a 1-0 win the previous weekend, City ensured there would be no late drama this time around. In stoppage time, substitute Rayan Aït-Nouri delivered a dangerous cross into the box, allowing Haaland to seal the victory with a clinical finish.
The Norwegian striker’s double took his tally to 167 goals for Manchester City, moving him up to third on the club’s all-time scoring list. It also extended his remarkable European record to 59 goals in 59 Champions League appearances, alongside five goals in his first four matches of the new campaign.
“On the biggest stage, all the pressure is on us, and tonight we handled it well,” Haaland told Amazon Prime after the match. “You simply have to win these games. If you don’t, the pressure builds rapidly, and things can spiral.”
The result caps an encouraging start for manager Enzo Maresca, who took over from Pep Guardiola following a record-breaking £460 million summer transfer spree. Among the new arrivals was 17-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, signed from Lille for €100 million. Starting his first match for the club, Bouaddi sits as City’s third most expensive midfield acquisition behind Enzo Fernandez and Elliot Anderson, offering a glimpse of the squad’s impressive depth as they pursue European glory.
