Erling Haaland ends drought as Man City sneak through in Champions League

By Andy Hampson, Press Association

Erling Haaland ended his goal drought as Manchester City sneaked into the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-0 win over Galatasaray.

Haaland scored for the first time from open play in 10 appearances and Rayan Cherki added a second before half-time as Pep Guardiola’s side saw off the Turkish outfit at the Etihad Stadium.

Thanks to other results, the victory lifted the 2023 winners to a final position of eighth in the league phase, meaning they avoid the play-off round that proved their undoing last season.

There was an anxious wait for final whistles elsewhere to be blown after their own game finished, but the eventual confirmation Real Madrid had lost at Benfica meant they had done enough.

The downside from the evening was an injury to Jeremy Doku, who sparkled by creating both goals in an electric opening but now joins a lengthy casualty list.

Yet City will be relieved they will now not face an extra two games next month as they continue their challenge on four fronts.

Galatasaray’s large and noisy following – who were a notable presence in the city centre’s bars throughout the afternoon and marched en masse to the stadium, setting off fireworks along the way – were silenced by full-time.

Their side, which contained two former City players in Ilkay Gundogan and Leroy Sane, at least had the consolation of holding onto a spot in the top 24.

City started strongly and could have taken the lead within three minutes as Rayan Ait-Nouri fired in a cross for an unmarked Haaland but the Norwegian headed wide.

Haaland made no mistake when presented with his next opportunity seven minutes later.

Doku made the first of several dangerous runs and slid a pass through the defence for Haaland to race onto. Abdulkerim Bardakci was no match for the forward’s pace and goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was left exposed as Haaland calmly chipped over his head.

City sensed a chance for more and Cakir palmed over a powerful long-range drive from Nico O’Reilly.

Their second came on 29 minutes as the brilliant Doku jinked into the box and pulled back for Cherki to take a touch and sweep into the net.

It proved to be Doku’s last significant act as the Belgian – on the end of controversial challenges from Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot and Wolves’ Yerson Mosquera in recent games – sustained a knock and limped off.

Galatasaray had few chances before the break – a weak shot from Victor Osimhen aside – but picked up the pace in a second half interrupted at one stage by Kurdish demonstrators.

Osimhen was their chief threat, heading at Gianluigi Donnarumma and then forcing a save from the Italian with a first-time shot.

Omar Marmoush got into a good position for City but slipped as he shaped to shoot.

The pace of the game dropped after a long stoppage following a clash of heads between Tijjani Reijnders and Davinson Sanchez, who were both bandaged up and played on.

The game petered out but City held on for victory and qualification.