Erling Haaland scored twice after half-time to give Manchester City a 2-0 victory over FC Porto in the Champions League, although Enzo Maresca’s side were far from convincing at the Estádio do Dragão.
City dominated possession and created the clearer opportunities, but their finishing was wasteful and Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa produced a series of outstanding saves to keep the hosts in contention.
Haaland should have opened the scoring before the interval. He was denied from close range by Costa, headed another promising chance over the crossbar and was thwarted again when the Porto goalkeeper recovered quickly to stop Rayan Cherki from converting the rebound.
Phil Foden also tested Costa after a fine run through the Porto defence, while Antoine Semenyo saw an early effort comfortably held. City’s pressure was not reflected on the scoreboard as the Portuguese champions survived a sustained spell of pressure.
Haaland needed only two minutes of the second half to make amends. Enzo Fernandez delivered a dangerous cross and the striker rose ahead of Jakub Kiwior to send a header in off the post.
The goal should have settled City, but instead Porto began to find greater belief. Alan Varela curled narrowly wide from the edge of the area, while Gianluigi Donnarumma had a nervy moment when he was almost caught in possession by William Gomes inside his own penalty area.
Porto never managed a shot on target, however, and City eventually secured the points in stoppage time. Rayan Ait-Nouri reached the byline and pulled the ball back for Haaland, who calmly finished to complete his double.
Manchester City must improve before derby
The victory gives Maresca a winning start to his first Champions League campaign as City head coach, but the performance offered little evidence that his team have fully settled into their new system.
Haaland said City had controlled the first half and admitted he could have scored more, while acknowledging that Porto had made the second period uncomfortable. “These are the games we have to win,” he told Amazon Prime.
City now turn their attention to Sunday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford. A sharper display will be required against Manchester United, with Maresca’s side having allowed Porto to grow into a match they had appeared to control.
