Manchester City were twice pulled back by RB Leipzig in Germany before Erling Haaland slid in at the back post on 78 minutes to make it 3-2, keeping City’s Champions League campaign on track. The winner came from an Elliot Anderson cross the Norwegian needed only to redirect.
City had arrived in Germany on the back of two straight Premier League defeats, and an early lead did little to settle them.
Little in the build-up play suggested Haaland would decide the match. City’s attack ran mostly through midfield and the wide channels, and the forward’s involvement was limited until Anderson cut the ball back across goal. For Maresca, that is the version of Haaland he wants, a striker who waits rather than demands and finishes the instant the chance appears.
“It’s important that he’s on his game. We know that at any moment he can help us, he can score goals,” Maresca told reporters after the match.
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Haaland was wearing the captain’s armband for the first time this season. His finish was his 13th in nine career meetings with Leipzig, more than he has scored against any other opponent.
Four months into the Maresca project
The result bought Maresca another encouraging night in his first autumn in charge at the Etihad. He replaced Pep Guardiola on a three-year contract announced in late June, and the Italian has spent his opening months telling anyone who asks that the rebuild will take time.
Leipzig’s two equalisers made that case. An own goal from Castello Lukeba, turned in off a Nico O’Reilly cut-back on 37 minutes, had put City in front; Ridle Baku levelled four minutes after the restart; Enzo Fernández finished off an Iliman Ndiaye delivery on 58 minutes; and Antonio Nusa drilled in a Christopher Nkunku pass three minutes later, according to the match report. Each time Leipzig came back, until Haaland left them with nothing to answer.
City climb to 10 points in the league phase
The win moved City to 10 points from four Champions League league-phase games, three wins and a defeat, and ended RB Leipzig’s run of 10 straight home wins.
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