PSG Beats Manchester City 4:2 as Haaland Reaches Champions League Milestone
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Manchester City 4:2 at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League, despite Erling Haaland scoring a historic brace and setting a new competition record.
Erling Haaland wrote another historic chapter in the Champions League, but Manchester City's 4:2 home defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad served as a painful reminder of the gap between them and the European champions. PSG raced to a commanding 3:0 lead before halftime thanks to goals from Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, and Vitinha.
Haaland's Historic Milestone
Haaland struck eight minutes into the second half, heading in his 60th Champions League goal in just his 60th appearance in the competition. At 26 years and 85 days old, he surpassed Lionel Messi as the youngest player to reach the milestone. He later added a second, overtaking Sergio Agüero as City's all-time leading scorer in the tournament.
Second Half Reaction
City responded strongly after three tactical changes by manager Enzo Maresca, finishing with 27 attempts on goal. However, Maghnes Akliouche sealed the victory for the visitors with a late fourth goal, despite a spirited comeback attempt from the English side.
"I think we are there. My feeling is that we are close," Maresca insisted after the match, noting that Luis Enrique admitted PSG had been fortunate.
PSG coach Luis Enrique acknowledged his side's second-half struggles, stating: "I don't like going in 3:0 up at halftime. Most people think the game is over, but it's never like that. We suffered a lot in the second half."
