Soccer
Haaland rescues City at Leipzig (3-2): the Norwegian strikes again in the 78th minute
Manchester City won 3-2 at RB Leipzig on Wednesday night on Champions League Matchday 4. Twice pegged back, the visitors snatched victory through an Erling Haaland goal in the 78th minute — with only his thirteenth touch of the ball. A win that gets City back on track after two straight league defeats.
A wild night at the Red Bull Arena
City took the lead in the 37th minute when Castello Lukeba turned Nico O'Reilly's low cross into his own net. Ridle Baku levelled early in the second half, in the 49th minute, beating Gianluigi Donnarumma at his near post. Enzo Fernández headed City back in front in the 58th minute from Iliman Ndiaye's cross — but Antonio Nusa made it 2-2 just three minutes later.
The winner came in the 78th minute: a driving run from Elliot Anderson, a low cross, and Haaland arriving at the far post to finish from close range. Both sides hit the woodwork late on, but the score stayed 3-2.
Haaland, Leipzig's tormentor
Wednesday's goal took Haaland's tally against Leipzig to 13 in nine games in all competitions — no opponent has suffered more at his hands. The Norwegian, who wore the captain's armband, now has 62 goals in 61 Champions League appearances and 14 goals this season. He had already scored five against Leipzig in City's 7-0 win in March 2023, and he remains the second player in history, after Lionel Messi, to score five in a Champions League knockout game.
"We need to step up a little bit"
Speaking to TNT Sports, Haaland welcomed the win but demanded more ruthlessness: "The most important is that I helped the team to win, and I managed to do that today, so I'm super happy. I think in the end, we need to step up a little bit because when we were 1-0 up, I think we needed to go at it, to go for the second and then hopefully the third." He also listed the areas to improve: "Keeping the ball, when to keep it, when to go, working together, both offensively, defensively. Lots of different things." Coach Enzo Maresca praised his stand-in captain, while admitting his team remains a "work in progress".
Anderson, the night's other hero
The winning goal owed much to Elliot Anderson. The midfielder, signed in the summer, produced a commanding display: 102 touches, ten ground duels won, seven tackles and seven recoveries, before setting Haaland up on a plate. Haaland praised his team-mate's performance after the match.
City bounce back, Leipzig sink deeper
City arrived in Germany after two straight league defeats and a Carabao Cup shootout win over Brighton, and climb to seventh with nine points from four games — a spot that qualifies directly for the round of 16. The champions visit Nottingham Forest this weekend looking to end their domestic losing run. Leipzig, meanwhile, have now lost ten of their last twelve Champions League matches.