REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
Erling Haaland starred as Manchester City got their 2026/27 Champions League campaign off to a winning start on Tuesday evening.
Enzo Maresca's side will be hoping to finish in the top eight of the league phase and qualify directly to the last 16. They knew a win against Porto at the Estádio do Dragão would go a long way to achieving that goal.
They got the win they wanted thanks to their brilliant number nine. After a goalless first half, the 26-year-old broke the deadlock shortly after the break when he headed home.
Porto pushed for an equaliser, but they couldn't get the goal they needed, and Haaland netted his second in stoppage-time to ensure his side came away from Portugal with all three points.
Haaland Addresses Anger at Teammate
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Haaland struggled to contain his emotions during the match. Tensions boiled over with minutes remaining when Haaland clashed with Porto's Pablo Rosario.
Players from both sides had to rush in and separate the two players, who were both given a yellow card.
Haaland also wasn't happy with Ayyoub Bouaddi earlier in the match. The 18-year-old, who was making his first start for the club following his £86m move from Lille this summer, put in an impressive performance in the middle of the park.
He enraged Haaland in the second half, though, when he decided against passing to the Norwegian when he was through on goal and instead played a ball to the left.
Man City's star man addressed the moment in his post-match interview. He said: "He did a really good game! In training he's been amazing, I told the chairman [Khaldoon Al Mubarak]. We've got a gem there...
"But I think he should've played me through in the second half; I was all alone; I was a bit angry, so I'll tell him right now - but he played a good game, except that pass!"
Erling Haaland Praises Porto
Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Haaland, considered one of the best strikers in world football right now, also had positive words to say about Porto, describing the Portuguese champions as 'impressive'.
He said, per Man City's official website: “Amazing game against the champions of Portugal. We knew it was going to be a difficult fight. They’re a top team. Honestly, impressive, all of them.
“They play amazing football so well done to them. As all the pressure, we had to deliver on the biggest stage and we did that today.
“These are the games we have to win. We’ve had a great start to the season. In the Champions League you have to win games. If not, suddenly you get all the pressure and then you never know what will happen.
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“We have to learn, Maresca has to demand a lot from us and we have to demand a lot from each other and we have to win games. At City you have to win games and win trophies.
“We won away in a difficult game, look at this atmosphere it was unreal at times. I hope he’s happy.”
Haaland has now scored five goals in five matches this season. He will be hoping to fire his sdie to another victory in the Manchester derby on Sunday at Old Trafford.