Manchester City secured a 2-0 win over 10-man Napoli in their Champions League opener at the Etihad Stadium. The match was marked by a red card for Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo, which changed the course of the game. Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku scored the goals for City in the second half.
The game began with City dominating possession, but Napoli’s defense held strong initially. However, after Di Lorenzo’s red card, Napoli’s strategy shifted to absorbing City’s pressure and looking for counter-attacks. Despite creating several chances, City couldn’t score in the first half, thanks to impressive saves from Napoli’s goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
The breakthrough came 10 minutes into the second half when Phil Foden’s clever pass found Haaland, who headed home his 50th Champions League goal in just 49 games. Doku added a second goal soon after, beating four Napoli defenders to slot the ball past Milinkovic-Savic.
The win sets up a thrilling matchup for City against Arsenal on Super Sunday, with Pep Guardiola’s trio of attackers – Foden, Haaland, and Doku – in top form. For Napoli, the loss is a setback, but they will look to bounce back in their next match.
Player Ratings
- Manchester City: Phil Foden (8), Jeremy Doku (8), Erling Haaland (8)
- Napoli: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (8), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (4)
The victory is a confidence booster for City, and their attacking trio will be looking to continue their impressive form against Arsenal.
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