Manchester City 5, Sparta Prague 0
Erling Haaland scored a brace as Manchester City beat Sparta Prague 5-0 in a Champions league rout with goals by Phil Foden, John Stones, and Matheus Nunes.
City got off to a flying start with a trademark goal by Phil Foden after just 3 minutes – turning and running into the box after a quick pass forward by Manuel Akanji.
Erling Haaland tested the Prague keeper Peter Vindahl twice with headers as City pressed the visitors to try and double their lead as Foden and Savinho went close.
But the visitors were not there for sightseeing. Veljko Birmancevic shot wide while Lukas Haraslin badly mistimed an ambitious overhead kick as Prague threatened briefly from counter attacks and even tried a 40 yard chip over Stefan Ortega who was way out of his goal.
So while City had chances to extend the lead they were wasteful and lacked the finishing that should have ended the visitors’ resistance.
Nathan Ake had the ball in the back of the net seconds after half time from Foden’s corner after the ball was flicked up to Erling Haaland who put the ball back into play from the back post before the Dutch defender stabbed it home but a VAR check ruled out the goal for offside.
But City didn’t need to wait long to make the game safe after they produced a three goal burst in 10 minutes to put Sparta down and out – Erling Haaland had been denied by Peter Vindahl all night and resorted to an acrobatic backheel from Savinho’s right wing cross after 58 minutes.
John Stones scored his second goal in as many games after he headed home Matheus Nunes’ left wing cross after 64 minutes before Nunes slid a pass through to Haaland to hit his second goal of the night – and City’s fourth – after 68 minutes.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 5, Sparta Prague 0
Stefan Ortega: 7. Had a bit of action in the first half as Sparta tested City – easier second half.
Rico Lewis: 7. Lung busting recovery run to put off Veljko Birmancevic after a counter attack by Sparta Prague. Inverted into midfield where he became the spare man.
John Stones: 7. Pushed high from defence. He produced another fine header to make the game safe.
Manuel Akanji: 7. Great vision to set up Phil Foden for the opening goal
Nathan Ake: 7. Back from injury in left back role. Thought he had scored in the second half but VAR intervened.
Ilkay Gundogan: 7. Given space to distribute from deep in midfield.
Bernardo Silva: 7. Set up a great chance for Erling Haaland. Great close control in midfield.
Matheus Nunes: 9. Wide role on the left, initially quiet but he set up two goals and scored his first Champions League goal for City from the penalty spot in a big confidence boost for him.
Savinho: 8. Good balls into the box from the right and shot wide himself when coming inside. Delivered a great cross from the right for Erling Haaland to score.
Phil Foden: 8. Midfield start. Scored a trademark goal to get City off to a great start. Had a couple of chances to add to his tally saved and one great curling chance which was wide.
Erling Haaland: 9. Host of chances saved by Peter Vindahl, so dangerous in front of goal but had to improvise with an acrobatic back heel to net against the Sparta keeper. And he then doubled that tally with a more conventional goal 10 minutes later.
Mateo Kovacic (on for Ilkay Gundogan, 69): 6. Game over by the time he came on but he mopped up well in midfield on the few times that Sparta Prague tried to come forward.
James McAtee (on for Bernardo Silva, 69): 6. Buzzed around in midfield.
Ruben Dias (on for John Stones, 74): 6. Gave John Stones a well earned rest.
Josko Gvardiol (on for Nathan Ake, 74): 6. Slotted in at left back.
Nico O’Reilly (on for Erling Haaland, 81): No time to mark
GOALS – Manchester City 5, Sparta Prague 0
Man City 1, Sparta Prague 0: 3. Manuel Akanji’s sharp forward pass was collected by Phil Foden who turned into space, advanced into the box and fired City into the lead from 16 yards out.
Man City 2, Sparta Prague 0: 58. Erling Haaland had to improvise to beat Peter Vindahl with a flying backheel from Savinho’s ring wing cross.
Man City 3, Sparta Prague 0: 64. Matheus Nunes delivered a great cross from the left for John Stones to net again with a towering header.
Man City 4, Sparta Prague 0: 68. Erling Haaland was the recipient of a great pass by Matheus Nunes at the end of a slick passing move through the Sparta midfield and he thrashed his second of the night past Peter Vindahl.
Man City 5, Sparta Prague 0: 88. Matheus Nunes sent the keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot after Angelo Preciado brought him down in the area as he tried to cut the ball back from the byline.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 5, Sparta Prague 0
Man City: Ortega, Lewis, Stones (Dias 74), Akanji, Ake (Gvardiol 74), Gundogan (Kovacic 69), Bernardo Silva (C) (McAtee 69), Nunes, Savinho, Foden, Haaland (O’Reilly 81)
Man City Subs not used: Ederson, Carson
Booking: Stones 8 (foul on Lukas Haraslin)
Goals: Foden 3; Haaland 58, 68; Stones 64; Nunes 88 pen
Sparta Prague: Vindahl, Vitik, Panak (C), Sorensenreciado, Laci, Karinen (Solbakken 89), Rynes (Wiesener 89), Birmancevic (Danek 74), Olatunji (Rrahmani 60), Haraslin (Krasniqi 46)
Sparta Prague Subs not used: Vorel, Surovcik, Suchomel, Ross, Pavelka, Sadilek, Pesek
Booking: Preciado 87 (foul on Mathus Nunes)