Phil Foden’s dramatic injury-time goal secured a crucial 3-1 victory for Manchester City over Copenhagen in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. This extends their unbeaten European run to an impressive 21 matches.
Foden Seals Late Win as City Dominate Copenhagen in First Leg Clash
Despite a dominant start featuring an early goal from De Bruyne, City were pegged back by an Ederson error that allowed Copenhagen to equalise. However, Silva restored their lead before the break, and Haaland had chances to further extend it in the second half. Finally, Foden capitalized on a late opportunity to put City firmly in control heading into the second leg.
The Citizens now face a vital stretch of Premier League fixtures against Manchester United and Liverpool before returning to the Etihad for the second leg on March 6th. With a healthy advantage and their unbeaten European run continuing, City look well-positioned to progress to the quarter-finals.
How Man City beat Copenhagen
Manchester City started like a whirlwind, nearly scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes. De Bruyne found the net first, firing past the goalkeeper from a tight angle. However, their dominance was disrupted by Grealish’s injury and a lucky deflection off Vavro that almost led to an equalizer.
Ederson’s error gifted Copenhagen a lifeline. His stray pass led to Mattsson’s debut goal, sending shockwaves through the Etihad. Mattsson continued to be a thorn in City’s side, but his tackle with De Bruyne gifted Silva a fortunate goal, restoring City’s lead.
The second half saw a more cautious City, struggling to create clear-cut chances. Copenhagen threatened on several occasions, forcing Ake and Grabara to make crucial saves.
Despite Haaland’s best efforts, including a deflected header hitting the crossbar, it was De Bruyne who provided the final touch. He pulled the ball back for Foden to seal the victory, leaving City with a two-goal cushion despite a nervy finish.