Man City 2-2 RB Leipzig (Haaland 54′, Foden 70′, Alvarez 87′ | Openda 13′, 33′)
ETIHAD STADIUM — Pep Guardiola’s double substitution of Jeremy Doku and Julian Alvarez turned the tide of a victory that clinched top place in the group for holders Manchester City.
Goals from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden had cancelled out two first-half efforts from Lois Openda, before Alvarez converted Foden’s 87th minute cross to maintain his side’s extraordinary home record in Europe.
Not since Lyon won at the Etihad in September 2018 have City lost in front of their own fans in the Champions League, a run of 29 games – only two of them draws.
But, until Guardiola’s 54th minute double substitution, it was a close-run thing.
Openda struck twice in the opening 33 minutes, sending City plummeting into the unfamiliar territory of trailing by two goals at home in Europe.
Not since Barcelona inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Manuel Pellegrini’s City in February 2014 had a European team won by that kind of margin at the Etihad but the Belgian international had his team dreaming.
Both goals were the result of catastrophic defending that had an agitated Guardiola furiously scribbling in his notebook and ordering Nathan Ake to warm up on the touchline.
After 12 minutes, a long punt forward from keeper Janis Blaswich was badly misjudged by Manuel Akanji, allowing the speedy Openda to run through and beat Stefan Oretga with a perfect finish into the far corner.
And City were still coming to terms with that setback when the Belgian international doubled the lead.
This time, defender Ruben Dias was the culprit, diving in to challenge Openda just inside the Leipzig half as he gathered a pass from Xavi Simons.
The youngster skilfully turned the City man and sped half the length of the field, Dias trailing in his wake, before delivering another superb finish.
Man City have turned it around
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 28, 2023
From two-down, to 3-2 up, they complete the comeback with an absolutely magnificent passing move#UCL pic.twitter.com/yj9DsRfc74
It appeared Dias might be contending with an injury, a notion confirmed when Ake took his place for the start of the second half, although it was another City sub who helped Haaland start the fightback.
Alvarez, with virtually his first touch, found Foden and his well-weighted through ball sent Haaland clean through to convert his 19th goal of the season.
It ended a frustrating evening for Haaland who had missed at least three decent first half openings which he would have been expected to convert.
After all, the City number nine had needed just 35 minutes to score five times against Leipzig at the Etihad in a 7-0 thrashing last season but he, and his team, are still some way short of their treble-winning best.
But no team since Brentford, a little over 12 months ago, had won at the Etihad and Everton and Liverpool, four days ago, the only sides to even escape with a draw since.
Man of the match: Lois Openda
Based on his two first half goals, the Belgian international looks like being the next big money sale off the Leipzig production line.
Alvarez’s free-kick might have led to an expected equaliser, after 68 minutes, but Ake headed wide from eight yards.
And just a minute later, Foden succeeded where his teammate had failed, collecting a short, sharp pass from Josko Gvardiol and calmly converting from a dozen yards.
Fabio Carvalho, on loan from Liverpool, had the ball in the City net soon after, but saw his effort ruled out for offside.
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