September 19, (THEWILL) – Manchester City began their UEFA Champions League title defence with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday night.
The visitors took a shock lead on the stroke of half-time through Osman Bukari after Omri Glazer had frustrated City’s star-studded attack.
However, the reigning English Premier League champions rallied after the break, equalising through Julian Alvarez just two minutes into the second half. Erling Haaland then combined beautifully with Alvarez, who found the net again after rounding past Glazer on the hour mark. Rodri sealed the win late on with a composed finish.
Despite dominating possession and racking up an incredible 37 shots, City were made to work hard for the three points by a spirited Red Star side. Glazer was inspired between the posts, making several outstanding saves to keep the scoreline respectable.
Ultimately though, City’s superior quality shone through to get their European campaign off to a winning start. Pep Guardiola’s men now turn their attention to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday, while Red Star host Partizan in the Serbian top flight next Wednesday.
