Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland’s spectacular winner in Wednesday’s victory over Borussia Dortmund reminded him of former Dutch great Johan Cruyff.
The Norwegian leapt at the back post, six minutes from the end of the Champions League Group G game to hook a Joao Cancelo cross into the net with the outside of his left-foot. “What a goal. I remember a long time ago in Barcelona Johan Cruyff scored one quite similar against Atletico Madrid. It’s nice Erling emulated Johan Cruyff,” Guardiola, a former Barca player and coach, said. City had to come back from a goal down with two strikes in the final 10 minutes to secure the win against a determined German side and Guardiola was far from happy about the way his team, once again, had to turn the game around. The equaliser came via a thundering long-range drive from defender John Stones.
On Wednesday, there were hard-earned victories for Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile Chelsea were held by Red Bull Salzburg in their first match under new head coach Graham Potter, as Rangers lost heavily again and Celtic drew with Shakhtar Donetsk. In London, Potter took charge of Chelsea for the first time but had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Salzburg in Group E, with Raheem Sterling’s opener early in the second half being cancelled out by Noah Okafor.
Reigning European champions Madrid needed two late goals to beat RB Leipzig 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu and maintain their perfect start in Group F. Federico Valverde opened the scoring 10 minutes from time after being set up by Vinicius Junior, and substitute Marco Asensio sealed the victory in injury time.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are clear at the top of the section from Shakhtar, who rode their luck to claim a 1-1 draw with Celtic.
The Scottish champions went ahead early on when Reo Hatate’s ball into the six-yard box went into the net off Artem Bondarenko.
But Shakhtar, playing European home games in Warsaw due to the war in Ukraine, equalised before the half-hour mark via an emphatic finish by Mykhailo Mudryk. Celtic had chances to win the game, none better than a late strike by Giorgos Giakoumakis that flashed agonisingly wide. At least they have a point, in stark contrast to rivals Rangers who lost 3-0 at home to Napoli in Group A.
Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to beat Maccabi Haifa 3-1 in Israel as their superstar front three all scored. Suriname international Tjaronn Chery put the home side ahead only for Lionel Messi to equalise before the break.