Haaland scores two as Man City beats Young Boys 3-0 and advances in Champions League
Tue, Nov 7, 2023
Soccer News (AP)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) - Erling Haaland scored two goals and Manchester City advanced to the Champions League knockout stage by beating Young Boys 3-0 on Tuesday.
The defending champions extended their perfect record after four games in Group G. City also extended its unbeaten home run in European soccer's elite club tournament to 28 games.
Haaland scored a 23rd minute penalty to put City ahead at Etihad Stadium and Phil Foden made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time.
Haaland then fired into the top corner from the edge of the area six minutes after the break - but was denied a hat trick when he was substituted in the 61st.
By then there was little doubt that City was on course for a 23rd straight home win in all competitions in a game that saw Young Boys reduced to 10 men when Sandro Lauper was sent off for high foot on City substitute Nathan Ake in the 53rd.
After Matheus Nunes was brought down in the area by Lauper in the first half, Haaland stepped up and sent goalkeeper Anthony Racioppi the wrong way by firing into the bottom left hand corner.
On Foden's goal. the forward received a pass from Jack Grealish on the right and then showed quick feet to beat Ulisses Garcia inside the area. He still had a tight angle to shoot from, but swept the ball past Racioppi and into the far corner.
Haaland, who is up to 15 goals this season, now has 39 goals in 34 Champions League appearances and is within two of former City striker Sergio Aguero.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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