Erling Haaland scores twice as Manchester City defeats Porto 2-0 in Champions League

Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City began their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory at Porto on September 8, 2026. Haaland was initially denied a goal by three saves from Porto's goalkeeper Diogo Costa before scoring with a downward header early in the second half. Despite Porto's efforts to push back, they were unable to capitalize on mistakes from Manchester City. Haaland later secured the win with a second goal in stoppage time, making him City's third-highest goalscorer of all time with 167 goals. Haaland stated, "We have all the pressure; we have to deliver on the biggest stage, and that’s what we did today." He emphasized the importance of winning in the Champions League to avoid added pressure. Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, who has made a strong start in his role, handed Ayyoub Bouaddi his first start since his transfer from Lille for 100 million euros. Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandez contributed to a strong first-half performance, but the team only managed to score after halftime. Porto's attempts to equalize were thwarted, and Haaland's second goal ultimately sealed the victory for City.