November 29, (THEWILL) – Manchester City staged a remarkable comeback to clinch a 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League, with Phil Foden playing a pivotal role in their triumph. The holders found themselves 2-0 down after Lois Openda’s first-half brace, but Foden sparked the turnaround by setting up Erling Haaland for City’s first goal.
Haaland’s strike also saw him become the fastest player to reach 40 goals in the competition. Foden then added a sublime goal of his own before providing the assist for substitute, Julian Alvarez, to seal the win and secure top spot in Group G for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Both teams entered the game with their places in the last 16 already secured, but there was still pride at stake. City aimed to protect their unbeaten record of 18 games in European competition, while Leipzig sought redemption after suffering a 7-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium last season.
Leipzig’s persistence paid off when a long ball from goalkeeper, Janis Blaswich, caught City’s defence off guard. Manuel Akanji’s mistake allowed Openda to break free and calmly slot the ball past Ortega. The Belgian forward struck again after City were exposed by another deep pass, leaving them trailing by two goals.
City had their chances to equalise, with Ruben Dias and Rico Lewis coming close, but their efforts went off target. It was in the second half, when City showed renewed determination that they quickly pulled one back. Foden’s well-placed pass allowed Haaland to race through and finish powerfully.
Foden then took matters into his own hands, scoring a sublime goal in the 70th minute to level the score. Leipzig had a goal disallowed for offside, and Foden showcased his skill once again, setting up Alvarez for the winning goal in the 87th minute.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
