Haaland Scoring Machine Leads City To Glory In Champions League

City were completely dominant and will be heavy favorites to repeat this result in Denmark next week and advance to the last 16.

Erling Haaland added two more goals to his hat trick as Manchester City swept aside Copenhagen to make it three wins out of three in Champions League Group G.

Haaland was taken off at half-time and thus missed out on a fourth hat-trick for City, but his first-half double gives him 19 goals in his first 12 games for Pep Guardiola’s side.

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City were far too quick and clever for their Danish opponents, and would have scored more than five goals in a completely one-sided match if not for Copenhagen keeper Kamil Grabara.

After crushing Manchester United the previous weekend, City and Haaland picked up where they left off on Sunday and scored in less than seven minutes.

Cancelo’s low cross found Haaland in space inside the area, and he made no mistake, finishing powerfully with his first touch of the game.

The only surprise was that City didn’t extend their lead until after the half-hour mark, and it was Haaland who was in the right place to tap the loose ball after Grabara had parried a Sergio Gomez shot.

The last thing Copenhagen needed at this point was bad luck, but their woes were exacerbated before halftime when a Gomez shot took a deflection.

With the game won, Haaland was replaced at halftime by Cole Palmer – even goal machines need a break – as City focused on their next game, against Southampton here on Saturday.

His departure reduced City’s threat, but they still dominated possession and scored more goals.

After Aymeric Laporte was fouled, Riyad Mahrez converted a penalty to make it 4-0, and the Algerian forward then turned provider, setting up Julian Alvarez to round out the scoring from close range.

City were completely dominant and will be heavy favorites to repeat this result in Denmark next week and advance to the last 16.

Guardiola will be pleased to see Mahrez get off to a good start with his first goal and assist of the 2022-23 season.

The 31-year-old was City’s top scorer last season, with 24 goals in all competitions, but had been unconvincing so far this season.

Guardiola even went so far as to say this week that he would not pick him until he improved his physical fitness, but this was undoubtedly the reaction he expected from Mahrez after reintroducing him to the team.

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The lively Gomez, who impressed after coming on against United, was not the only player to make his case for more minutes, with only the post stopping him.

At the back, Laporte’s injury recovery allowed him to make his first start of the season, while Ruben Dias was recalled after being an unused substitute in the derby.

Guardiola wants competition for places with a busy schedule ahead that will see City play 10 times before the season ends for the World Cup on November 12th.

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