City seal UEFA Champions League ticket after victory at Fulham | OneFootball

Goals from Ilkay Gundogan and Erling Haaland fired City to a 2-0 win at Fulham in our final Premier League game of the season to seal the Club’s place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

The victory ensured Pep Guardiola’s side finished in third place in the Premier League – and just as significantly booked our ticket into next term’s elite European competition.

Gundogan opened the scoring at Craven Cottage with a spectacular 21st minute overhead kick with what the German’s first league goal since re-joining the Club last summer.

City largely dominated affairs in west London and the three points were then confirmed on 72 minutes when Haaland converted from the penalty spot after Gundogan had been brought down.

A memorable afternoon concluded with Kevin De Bruyne summoned on from the bench late on to a rapturous ovation for what his final league appearance for City.

It’s the 15th season in a row we have qualified for Europe’s elite tournament which serves to illustrate the class and consistency the Club had demonstrated in a run that stretched back to 2010.

What happened

Appropriately enough for one of the most picturesque grounds in English football there was a summery and expectant backdrop as the action got underway by the banks of the River Thames.

The quest was deliciously simple for City – secure the point that would secure the prize of Champions League football for an incredible 15th consecutive season.

As we set off in search of that outcome, it was a typically controlled and dominant opening from City as Pep Guardiola’s side spread the play and sought an early inroad.

Omar Marmoush saw a seventh minute 25-yard free kick overfly the Fulham goal.

With City camped in the Fulham half, the hosts had to work overtime to try and keep the relentless Blue tide at bay.

And that pressure paid deserved dividends on 21 minutes as City took the lead thanks to a quite stunning Ilkay Gundogan overhead strike.

Matheus Nunes was the architect, the right back powering down the flank before fizzing in a cross which Fulham keeper Bernd Leno could only tap Gundogan’s way.

The German showed stunning speed of though and dexterity to execute an acrobatic overhead kick from 10 yards which thumped off the bar and over the line, the strike awarded after a VAR check for offside.

Remarkably, it was Gundo’s first Premier League strike after his return to the Club last summer – and he couldn’t have chosen a more opportune moment to reopen his account.

The setback finally stung Fulham into action and Ederson was called into serious action for the first time on 26 minutes diving to parry away a stinging Harry Wilson shot from the right edge of the box after an Antonee Robinson cross had been diverted Wilson’s way via Josko Gvardiol’s header.

It was still City largely in the ascendant though and Leno had to be alert on 35 minutes to divert a goalbound Doku shot wide of the target after the Belgian winger had cut in from the left edge of the box and let fly.

Then it was City’s turn to breathe a sigh of relief when Tom Cairney – making his final appearance for the Cottagers after a decade’s service at the Club – saw a sweetly struck 15-yard effort fizz just wide of the target.

Doku’s pace was a potent attacking outlet for City and more brilliance from the Belgian three minutes before the break created another opportunity with Nico drilling in a low 20 yard effort that Leno was grateful to smother after Marmoush’s initial effort had been blocked.

In what was a frantic end to the half, Ederson then demonstrated all his quality, diving low to his left to divert away a goal-bound Wilson shot after the Fulham man had drifted into space 12 yards out.

Fulham sought to up their intensity after the restart with the dangerous Wilson the hosts’ main outlet.

But City retained the lions’ share of control and composure as nine months of intense action came down to a decisive final 45 minutes.

Akanji headed a Bernardo corner just over the bar before Haaland was then unfortunate to divert an inviting 60th minute Gundogan free-kick wide of the target.

There was then a big scare at the other end when Raul Jimenez latched onto a hopeful 60-yard punt with Ederson having charged out from his line to the edge of the box with his goal unguarded behind him

Fortunately however, the Mexican got his attempted chip all wrong.

City though were not to be denied and on 72 minutes that crucial second goal finally arrived thanks to an Erling Haaland penalty.

Gundogan created the opportunity, the German drawing a foul from Lukic after twisting and turning in the box with referee Andy Madley having no hesitation  in pointing to the spot.

Up stepped Haaland, restored to penalty taking duties after Marmoush's miss in last week's FA Cup final, and the Norwegian made no mistake registering what was his fourth penalty overall against the Cottagers.

Fulham huffed and puffed but City and Ederson were not to be denied.

And a memorable afternoon concluded in emotional fashion when Kevin De Bruyne was summoned on from the bench with five minutes left for what was his last ever league appearance for the Club.

What a way to bow out for him and City.

TEAMS

FULHAM XI: Leno, Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson, Lukic, Cairney (C) (King 75), Wilson (Iwobi 60), Pereira (Smith Rowe 60), Traore, Jimenez.

Subs: Benda, Bassey, Sessegnon, Berg, Willian, Vinicius.

CITY XI: Ederson, Nunes, Akanji, Dias (C), Gvardiol, Nico, Gundogan (De Bruyne 82), Bernardo, Marmoush, Doku (Savinho 75), Haaland (Foden 80)

Subs: Ortega, Ake, Rodri, Echeverri, O'Reilly, Lewis.

Star player

Not for the first time, Ilkay Gundogan brought all his experience and know-how to bear on a crucial final afternoon of the league season.

The German was at the heart of so much that was good about City, winning that vital second half penalty for Haaland.

And of course, he capped a wonderful afternoon's work with that stunning overhead kick to get us up and running.

Stat zone

Today’s victory means City have now chalked up 18 consecutive wins against Fulham in all competitions.

That also extends our record of having built up the longest winning run one English league side has had against another in history.

It also makes it 15 Premier League wins in a row for the Blues against the Cottagers, another remarkable statistic.

Pep’s verdict

We started really well and after that we had the momentum. It was in our hands and we did our job. It's been a tough year but we never gave up. I'm very proud and pleased for the team.

We continued playing good and we were there [in position to seal Champions League qualification] and we did it.

At the end we finished third, not miles away from Arsenal, but the distance to Liverpool is huge. We have to improve and hopefully we can do it.

Now we will recover and next season will be better.

Gundogan verdict

Obviously very important, coming here to a tough ground against a really good opponent.

First of all to play the way we have played and to create that many chances, and then obviously to win and secure the Champions League spot was very important.

Today we are very happy with that.

It took me some time this season to score! It was just intuition, arriving in the box at the second post, trying to be there where you might think the ball could drop.

When I saw the ball going over my head I had to adapt my run and adjust, and just try to go for it, when I landed and turned around, I didn’t even know if the ball was in the net or not.

What it means

City seal third place in the Premier League and guarantee our place in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.

It’s the 15th consecutive season that the Blues will be in Europe’s elite competition.

That’s the fourth longest current run across Europe and the third longest English run in history.

It also speaks volumes to the class and consistency of the Blues over those 15 years.

What’s next

The squad will now have a brief period of rest and recuperation before we regroup early next month to begin preparations ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

Out first game in the tournament takes place on Wednesday, June 18 when we take on Wydad AC in Philadelphia, kick-off 17.00 (UK).