AFP – Erling Haaland’s spectacular acrobatic effort lit up Manchester City’s 5-0 win over Sparta Prague yesterday to move into third place in the Champions League table.
The Norwegian scored twice, including a backheel at shoulder height, as City ran riot against the Czech champions.
Phil Foden, John Stones and Matheus Nunes were also on target for Pep Guardiola’s men, who remain unbeaten in all competitions this season.
“He’s a freak isn’t he,” said Foden of Haaland’s athleticism.
“If I tried to do that I’d pull my groin. I don’t know how he did it, I just think it’s just his long legs.”
Sparta had taken four points from their opening two Champions League games against Salzburg and Stuttgart, but City were a step up in class too far for the visitors.
“It became painful in the second half after it went to 2-0. It became very difficult and we had difficulty coping with it,” said Sparta coach Lars Friis. Foden’s struggle for form and fitness has compounded City’s injury problems with Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne sidelined.
But there were encouraging signs for Guardiola as, restored to the starting line-up, the England international drilled home the opening goal after just three minutes. Haaland had nine efforts on goal in total but was frustrated in the first half as Sparta refused to let the floodgates open before the break. Peter Vindahl produced a stunning save low to his right to parry a powerful downward header from Haaland on 10 minutes.
Vindahl also denied Foden, while Haaland had another towering header hacked off the line.
Haaland did finally deliver City’s second with an effort reminiscent of his strike against old club Borussia Dortmund two years ago that won Champions League goal of the season.
Savinho’s chipped cross was slightly behind the 24-year-old, who contorted his body to strike the ball martial arts style and fire it past Vindahl.
Stones nodded in a vital stoppage time winner against Wolves in the Premier League on Sunday and continued his hot streak in front of goal with a looping header from Nunes’ cross.
Haaland then completed a three-goal blitz in 10 minutes at the end of a scintillating City counter-attack.
