After an electric pre-match light show at the Etihad Stadium, the energy transferred onto the pitch with Ilkay Gundogan finding the net after 17 minutes, only to see it ruled out for offside.
The visitors were compact and rigid in defence, but threatened on the break and made the breakthrough just before the interval as Raphael Onyedika blasted beyond Ederson from 12 yards.
CITY 3-1 CLUB BRUGGE: MATCH REPORT
Pep Guardiola introduced the speedy Savinho for the second period and we found the leveller eight minutes later, as Mateo Kovacic drove forward and rolled the ball into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
The momentum was with us and nine minutes later, we took the all-important lead. Savinho’s perfectly weighted pass found the galloping Josko Gvardiol on the left side of the box and the Croatian’s driven cross across the six-yard box was turned into his own net by Joel Ordonez.
We looked for a third under the floodlights and were denied in quick succession as Erling Haaland’s finish was well saved, before Savinho’s rebound was superbly cleared off the line by Brandon Mechele.
But the electric Brazilian was not to be denied his next chance as he arrived at the perfect time to drill the ball under goalkeeper Simon Mignolet for his first ever Champions League goal, securing our place in the play-off round of the Champions League.
View the best images from the win via our gallery below.
