Erling Haaland scores as Man City beat RB Leipzig 3-2

Erling Haaland secured a 3-2 victory for Manchester City against RB Leipzig on Wednesday night, finding the decisive goal in the 78th minute. The result, achieved at the Red Bull Arena, provided a necessary recovery for the English side following their domestic defeat to Brighton the previous weekend.

Despite the win, which elevated Enzo Maresca’s squad into the top eight of the Champions League phase, the Manchester City captain expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s lack of control during the match. Haaland, who has now scored 13 goals in nine career appearances against Leipzig, noted that City allowed their opponents to equalize on two separate occasions before he finally broke the deadlock.

“I don’t know how many touches I had today, not many, but the most important thing is that I managed to help the team win,” Haaland told Sky Sports. “I think we need to raise our level. When we were leading 1-0, I think we should have continued to attack, gone for the second goal, then the third. That is what we need to do. We need to work on that.”

Tactical shifts and match flow in Germany

Manager Enzo Maresca implemented four changes to his starting lineup following the loss to Brighton, with Ruben Dias moving to the bench and Haaland taking the captain’s armband. Yahoo Actualités reported that while Manchester City maintained 65% possession, RB Leipzig recorded 14 shots compared to City’s 12. Defensive players like Antonio Nusa and David Raum frequently tested the City backline on the left flank.

The scoring opened in the 37th minute when Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba redirected a cross from Nico O’Reilly into his own net. Leipzig responded quickly after the halftime break, with Ridle Baku capitalizing on a defensive lapse to beat Gianluigi Donnarumma at his near post in the 49th minute. Enzo Fernandez restored the lead for the visitors in the 58th minute with a header from an Iliman Ndiaye cross, but Antonio Nusa leveled the score again just three minutes later following a pass from substitute Christopher Nkunku.

Decisive contribution from Haaland

The winning goal arrived in the 78th minute when Elliot Anderson, who had been involved in the play leading to Leipzig's first equalizer, dribbled past two defenders to deliver a low cross. Haaland converted the chance to secure the 3-2 scoreline. The final minutes remained tense, with Leipzig’s David Raum and Rayan Cherki both hitting the woodwork.

Yahoo Actualités noted that Abdukodir Khusanov provided stability in the City defense, while Elliot Anderson earned an 8/10 rating for his role in the assist for the winning goal. The win leaves Manchester City in seventh place in the league phase standings with nine points, while RB Leipzig remains 29th with three points.

European results from the matchday

The encounter in Germany was part of a broader night of Champions League action. Maxifoot reported that other results included a 1-9 victory for Côme over Lens and a 1-2 win for Arsenal against Slavia Prague. Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund defeated Real Betis 2-1, and Real Madrid secured a 3-2 win away at AEK Athens.

Frequently asked questions about the match

Where does this result leave Manchester City in the Champions League?

Following the win against RB Leipzig, Manchester City has moved up to seventh place in the league phase standings with nine points from their matches played.

Who were the goalscorers in the 3-2 win?

Manchester City’s goals came from an own goal by Castello Lukeba, a header from Enzo Fernandez, and a late strike by Erling Haaland. RB Leipzig’s goals were scored by Ridle Baku and Antonio Nusa.

When was the match played?

The match between RB Leipzig and Manchester City took place on the evening of Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

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