MAN CITY 5, SPARTA PRAGUE 0
It was Czech mate as Manchester City savoured another record-breaking night with their resounding victory against Sparta Prague as Erling Haaland netted a goal described as ‘incredible’ by manager Pep Guardiola.
City’s created Champions League history by celebrating a 26th match unbeaten in Europe’s premier club competition to overhaul the previous best of 25 held by their neighbours.
There were two goals for Haaland as he continued his remarkable goalscoring record in the Champions League.
Phil Foden, John Stones and Matheus Nunes also found the net as City climbed to third place in the new 36-team league after two wins and a draw from their opening three games.
Guardiola was in awe of Haaland’s goal and his exploits.
“Give him 20 balls and he will create seven or eight chances,” said Guardiola.
“I saw it when the ball came in. It’s unbelievable. He’s a statue. So tall and so flexible. I like it, he has this sense of humour. Very similar to the Dortmund one a few years ago. Unbelievable. I don’t know which was more difficult, both very difficult.
“He had some chances but it’s difficult. He is literally on the penalty spot with three defenders and two midfielders. He’s always surrounded by five or six players. He’s so fast too that’s maybe why teams defend so deep.”
On his side’s performance, Guardiola said: “We were playing good. I didn’t expect them to defend so deep. They played offensively in their other matches, but they defend so deep it’s difficult. The moment we broke the game for 2-0 it was fine.”
Guardiola added the priority, with five of their eight group games remaining, is to finish in the top eight to qualify for the last 16 without having to go through extra qualifiers.
Sparta manager Lars Friis said: “We played against the best team in the world with the best players in the world.
“We are a few steps to go where we dream to be, but it was a good experience.
“It is difficult to cope when you concede as early as we did.”
Nathan Ake returned to thestarting line-up for the first time since September as Guardiola made five changes from the side that won at Wolves on Sunday.
Embed from Getty ImagesDefender Ake has been sidelined with a hamstring injury he picked up while on international duty with the Netherlands.
Stefan Ortega, Manuel Akanji, Nunes and Foden also came into the side while Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish were ruled out through injury.
Kaan Kairinen, who scored in both of Sparta’sChampions League games so far this season, started for the visitors.
City made a dream start taking a third minute lead through Foden’s second goal of the season – both netted in the Champions League.
Akanji provided the assist as he threaded a pass to Foden who burst forward before firing low past keeper Peter Vindahl from just inside the box.
And they might have doubled the lead soon after when Erling Haaland’s header was superbly kept out by Vindahl.
City were camped in the Sparta half and had chances to forge further ahead as a series of goalbound efforts were blocked as the visitors lived dangerously.
Out of nothing, Sparta almost levelled mid-half when Veljko Birmancevic broke from his own half into the City box before seeing his shot superbly kept out by Ortega.
It was a minor blip as City remained with a vice-like grip on the match as Foden went close to a second as his shot was well kept out by Vindahl while Savinho’s effort flew wide.
City thought they had a second goal soon after the restart when Ake’s close-range effort was ruled out following a VAR check for handball.
Foden’s corner was hooked back by Haaland at the far post for Ake to convert at the second attempt after his initial effort was blocked, but he was deemed to have handled.
A second goal continued to elude City as this time Haaland’s header was well beaten out by Vindahl.
It finally came in the 58th minute from Haaland with an audacious flying back heel past Vindahl from Savinho’s cross.
It was his 11th goal of the campaign and his 43rd Champions League goal in only 42 European games. I
That was quickly followed by a third City goal, Stones’ looping header from Matheus Nunes’s cross – his third goal of the campaign after netting the dramatic injury time winner at Wolves on Sunday.
City netted a third goal in 10 minutes as Haaland struck again with a clinical finish to round off a neat passing move which ended with Nunes providing the assist, his 103rd goal for City in only 110 appearances.
Guardiola made City’s first two chances with 21 minutes left as Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan were replaced by Mateo Kovacic and James McAtee.
Minutes later there were a further two as Stones and Ake made way for Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol and then a fifth was made as Nico O’Reilly took over from Haaland who was unhappy at being replaced.
That will have increased when City were awarded an 86th minute penalty when Nunes was scythed down by Angelo Preciado who was booked.
With regular penalty taker Haaland off the field, Nunes stepped forward to smash home the spot kick, his first Champions League goal to round off another impressive display against opponents Guardiola rates highly.