Erling Haaland shines as Manchester City set new Champions League benchmark after Sparta Prague rout | OneFootball

Manchester City have set a new record for the longest unbeaten run in European Cup/Champions League history after winning 5-0 against Sparta Prague.

Pep Guardiola’s men are now unbeaten in 26 consecutive games in the competition (W18 D8), scoring 69 goals and only conceding 18 times during this run, and breaking the record set by rivals Manchester United between 2007 and 2009 (a run of 25).

Their visitors had been unbeaten in their last three Champions League games (W1 D2) and had not gone four matches in a row without losing in the competition since October 2001 (a run of 5 – W3 D2). However, their confidence was shattered within the game’s opening moments, and chances of matching that previous feat went up in smoke.

With less than three minutes gone, City broke the deadlock. Phil Foden, played in by Manuel Akanji, was given too much time and space to turn and pick his spot with a crisp left-foot drive beyond Peter Vindahl Jensen, and in doing so, registered City’s quickest home goal in the Champions League since Kevin De Bruyne scored after 94 seconds against Real Madrid in April 2022. On a personal note, Foden scored in seven of his last eight Champions League starts, netting seven goals.

There was a sense of déjà vu after the break when City doubled their lead. Sparta was again caught napping from the restart, but the video assistant referee ruled out Nathan Aké’s effort. In the 58th minute, though, Erling Haaland finally scored after several attempts. He brilliantly adapted to Savinho’s cross from the right, performing an improvised backheel volley that caught the Sparta goalkeeper off guard, doubling City’s lead.

“My word, my word, what has he just done? That is an amazing goal,” exclaimed Glenn Hoddle on TNT Sports commentary.

“Haaland’s standing there, not involved in the game. Savinho does really well, crosses the ball. Oh my word, off the back of his heel. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

“No goalkeeper in the world can read that. That is just an incredible finish.”

Sparta’s resolve was utterly crushed, and the floodgates soon opened. John Stones, the hero of Molineux, found space to score his first goal in this season’s competition. It was another header, a well-placed effort back across Vindahl’s goal and into the top corner after a pinpoint delivery from Matheus Nunes.

Haaland scored his second goal with a well-placed finish after a swift attack from the English champions. Rico Lewis and Foden quickly moved the ball upfield before Nunes set up the Norwegian striker.

At just 24, Haaland has 44 Champions League goals to his name, drawing level with Didier Drogba. The Man City forward is already joint-14th in the list of top scorers in the competition’s history. Since the 2019-20 season, no one has scored more Champions League goals than him, while Savinho is the youngest Brazilian player on record (2003-04 onwards) in the Champions League to create five chances in a match (20 years, 196 days).

He also netted his 20th and 21st Champions League goals for Man City tonight in his 23rd appearance. Only Ruud van Nistelrooy (20 in 21 games for Man Utd) has scored 20 goals for a club in fewer games in Champions League history.

There was even time for Nunes to complete a brilliant day’s work by scoring from 12 yards after winning the penalty himself — his first-ever Champions League goal in his 15th appearance — to go with his two assists, which makes him the first Portuguese player to assist two goals and score a goal in a Champions League match since Cristiano Ronaldo in November 2015 for Real Madrid against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Tonight was also City’s sixth victory by 5+ goals in the Champions League – the only English team with more is Liverpool (7). It was Pep Guardiola’s 14th overall, nine more than any other manager in Champions League history.

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