Haaland Double Secures Manchester City Lead, But Monaco Snatch Late Draw
Monaco – Manchester City looked set to leave the Stade Louis II with a second win of the Champions League group stage, but a dramatic late penalty allowed Monaco to snatch a 2-2 draw on Wednesday.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland was in fine form, scoring twice in the first half, either side of a stunning strike from Monaco’s Jordan Teze. Haaland’s brace takes his tally to 11 goals in just eight games across all competitions this season.
City seemed in control after Haaland opened the scoring 15 minutes in. Josko Gvardiol’s clever ball over the top found Haaland, who calmly lobbed goalkeeper Philipp Koehn. But Monaco responded quickly. In the 18th minute, Krepin Diatta delivered a ball to Teze, who struck a brilliant right-foot shot from 20 metres to level the match.
Phil Foden hit the bar as City pushed to regain the lead, and just before halftime, Haaland nodded in a cross from Nico O’Reilly to restore City’s advantage.
The second half saw opportunities for both sides, including another rebound off the bar from Monaco’s Tijjani Reijnders. Then, in the 90th minute, Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano awarded Monaco a penalty after a VAR review showed Nico Gonzalez’s high boot on England international Eric Dier during a free-kick. Dier converted, sending City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way, and Monaco celebrated their first point of the season.
City coach Pep Guardiola remained pragmatic. “I don’t know if it was a penalty, but it was given. Nico touched the ball first, with no intention. But it is what it is. We have a point and we will take it,” he told TNT Sports.
Haaland reached another milestone in Europe’s premier club competition, scoring his 52nd goal in 50 Champions League appearances. He had also netted twice in Manchester City’s 5-1 Premier League win over Burnley last weekend.
Monaco, missing key players and featuring an inexperienced midfield, was boosted by the presence of Paul Pogba in the stands, who is building fitness ahead of his debut for the club. Monaco coach Adi Huetter praised his team’s effort: “We have six or seven top-level players out injured, but we never gave up. The players left their hearts out on the pitch. I am really proud of that. We deserved the draw.”
This match marked the first meeting between City and Monaco since their thrilling 2017 last-16 tie, which ended 6-6 on aggregate and saw the principality side progress on away goals.
Mutib Khalid is a skilled content writer and digital marketer with a knack for crafting compelling narratives and optimizing digital strategies. Excel in creating engaging content that drives results and enhances online presence. Passionate about blending creativity with data-driven approaches, Mutib Khalid helps brands connect with their audience and achieve their goals.