Super City hit five in ruthless Champions League victory over Sparta

Phil Foden took less than three minutes to fire us ahead with a neat finish before three goals in 10 second-half minutes saw City take control of the tie.

Erling Haaland scored twice, the first an audacious and acrobatic, head-high flicked volley, either side of John Stones’ header, before Matheus Nunes’ late penalty.

City also welcomed back Nathan Ake to the starting line-up for the first time this season and he thought he was on the scoresheet, but his goal was ruled out for handball.

Pep Guardiola’s side have now won two of our three Champions League matches so far, as we keep our place in the top-eight sides that qualify automatically for the last-16.

WHAT HAPPENED

A spectacular Halloween laser show lit up the prematch at the Etihad Stadium, complete with zombie player line-up on the big screen to count down to kick-off.

Clad in back shirts and shorts, Sparta were hoping to give a few scares of their own after an impressive start to their Champions League campaign that saw them pick up four points from their opening two matches.

But they were undone by a clever trick from Foden and a treat of a finish inside three minutes as last season’s Player of the Season looked back to his frightening best.

The midfielder picked up the ball on the half-turn before skipping a challenge and firing low into the bottom corner.

There was a familiar feel to the encounter as the visitors defended deep and tried to play speedily on the break, going from back to front in quick time.

Ake, back on the pitch for the first time since picking up an injury in September whilst on international duty with the  Netherlands, was given an early speed test and neatly tidied up a threatening break.

He started on the left with Nunes in front of him and the Portuguese linked up with Bernardo Silva, whose cross picked out Haaland for a leaping header that was sensationally kept out by Sparta keeper Peter Vindahl.

Just before the half-hour, the Norwegian had another header hooked off the line and it led to Sparta’s best opportunity as they broke quickly.

Velijko Birmancevic escaped on the halfway line and raced clear to drive in a low shot from a tight angle that was touched wide by Stefan Ortega Moreno.

It gave the visitors a brief impetus with the same player heading wide, but City soon regained control with Foden smashing a fierce strike that was parried away by Vindahl as we chased a second.

Sparta survived until the break and had an even bigger escape shortly after the restart.

Ake thought he had marked his comeback with a goal from close range when a Foden corner came back off the post, but the ball brushed the Dutchman’s arm as he poked it over the line at the second attempt.

Haaland then started his personal battle with Vindahl with the Sparta keeper making a reactionary save from another close range header.

But he had no answer to a spectacular brilliant flick volley that bounced up into the top corner.

It was the first of three goals in 10 minutes as Stones added another to his impressive collection in recent weeks, looping home a header from Nunes’ cross.

And then City cut open Sparta with a fast sweeping move that Haaland finished ruthlessly.

James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly came into the action as City continued to push forward with four Academy players on the pitch.

And a fifth came with three minutes remaining, when Nunes was brought down in the box and he converted the penalty himself for his first City goal in Europe. 

TEAMS

CITY: Ortega Moreno, Lewis, Stones (Dias 74), Akanji, Ake (Gvardiol 74), Gundogan (McAtee 69), Bernardo (Kovacic 69), Nunes, Savio, Foden, Haaland (O’Reilly 81)

Subs: Ederson, Carson

SPARTA PRAGUE: Vindahl, Kairinen (Solbakken 89), Olatunji (Rrahmani 60), Birmancevic (Danek  73), Preciado, Laci, Haraslin (Krasniqi 46), Sorensen, Panak, Rynes (Wiesner 88), Vitik

Subs: Vorel, Surovcik, Suchomel, Ross, Pavelka, Sadilek, Pesek

STAR MAN

After a late return following England’s run to the Euro 2024 final followed by illness, Foden has had a slow start to the new season.

But he’s back in the form that saw him pick up all the major individual English honours in 2023/24 after a stunning campaign.

His brilliant corner at Wolves led to the dramatic winner and an early goal against Sparta marked him out as one to watch for the visitors but they struggled to restrain him.

Swerving, dipping strikes threatened Sparta’s goal while he was a menace in those ‘David Silva positions’ between the lines.

When he did err on the ball, a 40-yard sprint to curtail a counter-attack earned applause from Guardiola and the Etihad fans who love watching our homegrown hero perform his magic.

UNSTOPPABLE ERLING

It was a Scandi drama in the Sparta box as Erling Haaland and Danish goalkeeper Vindahl played out an epic duel.

The uncapped number one made a stunning full length save to deny the Norwegian in the first half and the post got in the way when he was about to touch in a chance after the break.

Another big save kept Vindahl on top, and Haaland had to pull out something special to get the goal he deserved.

What he did to get the opener made hamstrings sore just watching it, as he brilliantly steered in Nunes’s cross with his studs.

The second was a mixture of power and finesse, as he accelerated away before a composed finish with his 12th touch of the game – and eight attempt on goal.

City’s ruthlessness gave him an early chance to put his feet up ahead of Southampton at the weekend and a chance to add to his 13 goals from 13 games already this season.

Pep Guardiola reaction

“[It was a] really good game - I am enjoying a lot the way we are playing lately.

“Not the second half against Fulham but in general I’m happy.

“We concede so few chances and we create a lot. The definition of the game was 11 players in the box and it was not easy.”

FODEN reaction

“I was the best player last year, that’s what everyone wants to see. That’s the standard I’ve set myself and I want to get back to that.

“I don’t feel pressure. I just enjoy the football and don’t think about the outside. But I do put pressure on myself to get better. I always want to push myself.

“The aim is to hit what I hit last year. I showed over a long season I was consistent.”

WHAT IT MEANS

City move up to third in the 36-team league on goal difference as one of seven teams on seven points. 

The top three sides are all from England with Aston Villa and Liverpool in the top two positions, with the leading eight teams automatically qualifying for the last-16.

What’s next

We’re back at the Etihad on Saturday as we welcome Southampton in the Premier League.

The game kicks off at 15:00 (UK) and with the game not in TV in the United Kingdom, join our Matchday Centre for the best City-centric coverage with our prematch show, live audio commentary and reaction.

We’ll have an on-the-whistle match report, player and Pep reaction plus highlights on mancity.com and our official app as well as a full-match replay for CITY+ subscribers.