Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Porto on Tuesday.
The Norwegian striker was denied three times by outstanding saves from Diogo Costa before the break, but he finally found a way through just two minutes into the second half when his downward header from Enzo Fernández’s cross found the bottom corner.
Porto responded with greater attacking intent and pushed the Premier League champions onto the back foot for much of the second half. However, they lacked the quality to capitalise on a number of sloppy moments from City and were unable to find a way past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Haaland then put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time, clinically steering Rayan Aït-Nouri’s cross into the bottom corner to seal his second of the night.
The goal was Haaland’s 167th for City, moving him into third place on the club’s all-time scoring list. It was also his 59th Champions League goal in 59 appearances in the competition.
“We have all the pressure to deliver on the biggest stage, and that’s what we did today,” Haaland told Amazon Prime.
“These are the games you have to win, and we’ve got a great start to the season.
“In the Champions League you have to win games, because if not, suddenly you get all the pressure, and then you never know what’s going to happen.”
Backed by a record £460 million ($620 million) spending spree on new signings, Enzo Maresca has made an encouraging start to the daunting task of succeeding Pep Guardiola in the City dugout.
Yet Haaland remains the focal point of the team and has continued his prolific form after Norway’s World Cup success, scoring five goals in his first four matches of the new campaign.
Maresca handed Ayyoub Bouaddi his first start since his €100 million (£85.6 million, $117 million) move from Lille. Remarkably, the teenager was still only the third-most expensive midfielder City signed during the transfer window, with Enzo Fernández and Elliott Anderson both commanding fees above £100 million.
Bouaddi and Fernández impressed as City dominated much of the first half, but they were frustrated by a superb display from Costa.
The Porto goalkeeper produced an outstanding save to claw away a powerful Haaland header, before denying the striker again with a brilliant double stop following an impressive move involving Bouaddi and Phil Foden.
But Costa was finally beaten shortly after the restart.
Fernández delivered a cross into the area and Haaland’s header, although lacking his usual power, bounced into the bottom corner with the goalkeeper wrong-footed.
The goal sparked Porto into life, while City appeared to ease off and invite pressure.
Donnarumma survived one major scare when the offside flag came to his rescue after he raced from his goal and appeared to bring down Pepe, potentially conceding a penalty.
The Italian goalkeeper was fortunate again moments later when his attempted clearance was charged down by William Gomes, with the ball narrowly missing the target.
City had also surrendered a late lead in Saturday’s 1-0 win over newly promoted Coventry, but there was to be no repeat of that nervous finish in Portugal.
Haaland’s late second ensured City left Porto with a convincing scoreline and three valuable points from their opening Champions League fixture.
