Erling Haaland delivered another decisive performance in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, September 8, scoring twice to secure a 2-0 victory for Manchester City away against Porto during the opening matchday of the league phase. Haaland’s goals marked his 58th and 59th in just 59 career Champions League appearances, according to match reports, keeping Pep Guardiola’s side on track despite a hard-fought battle at the Estádio do Dragão.
Across the continent, the opening night of European competition brought high drama. Serhou Guirassy sparked a late surge for Borussia Dortmund in a 3-2 win against Villarreal, while Kylian Mbappé opened his scoring account to help Real Madrid defeat Inter Milan 2-1.
Erling Haaland Keeps Manchester City Rolling in Porto
The matches continue to follow a familiar script for Manchester City. Just three days after grinding out a narrow 1-0 victory over Coventry in the Premier League thanks to an effort from Haaland, the Sky Blues replicated that resilience in Portugal, according to accounts from L’Équipe. This time, the Norwegian striker struck twice: first heading home a cross from Enzo Fernández in the 47th minute, then slotting in with an open foot from a Rayan Aït-Nouri cutback in stoppage time (90+1′).
Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa frustrated the visitors early with key stops in the 21st, 29th, and 32nd minutes. Meanwhile, City controlled large stretches of the match thanks to the composure of Ayyoub Bouaddi in midfield. Porto pushed for an equalizer in the second half, but Gabriel Veiga, Alan Varela, and William Gomes all failed to convert their chances before City closed out the contest.
Serhou Guirassy Lifts Borussia Dortmund Past Villarreal
Borussia Dortmund secured a chaotic 3-2 victory over Villarreal to begin their European campaign. After a scoreless opening half that featured just one shot on target from the German side, Dortmund broke the deadlock through an own goal by Renato Veiga in the 53rd minute.
Villarreal equalized in the 66th minute when fullback Santiago Mouriño scored from a corner kick. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel then preserved parity for Dortmund with a sharp save against Tajon Buchanan. In the closing stages, Guirassy took over. The striker headed in a cross from substitute Fábio Silva in the 80th minute, then drew and converted a penalty in the 83rd minute. A late own goal by Guirassy in the 93rd minute gave Villarreal a brief opening, but Dortmund held on through five minutes of stoppage time.
Real Madrid Edges Inter Milan as Mbappé Opens Account
In another marquee fixture of the opening league phase, Real Madrid claimed a 2-1 victory over Inter Milan. French forward Kylian Mbappé found the back of the net to open his scoring account in the competition this season, anchoring the Spanish giants to three vital points at home.
