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Read our on-the-whistle report for Manchester City vs Galatasaray in the Champions League
Manchester City secured their place in Champions League Last 16 with a 2-0 win over Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium.
City started the evening outside the top-eight in the league stage, but goals from Erling Haaland and Ryan Cherky, along with other results going their way, ensured it was a relatively comfortable evening for Pep Guardiola’s side.
After a poor campaign in the league stages last season that saw them knocked out by Real Madrid in the play-offs last season, City will be delighted to have made no mistake securing their way straight through to the knockout rounds this time around.
There was a nervous wait at the final whistle as the results flooded in, with a late Real Madrid goal at Benfica potentially knocking City out of the top eight – but almost five minutes later, the Etihad were finally able to celebrate as the full-time whistle blew to confirm a sensational 4-2 win for the hosts in Portugal.
Haaland and Cherki settle early nerves
Amid the chaos of a final night of league stage action, City’s task was simple – a win, and hopefully other results, would go their way to a top eight finish.
And they should have been ahead only minutes later when Haaland couldn’t get his header on target from a delicious Ryan Ait-Nouri cross that he really should have buried.
But shortly after, Haaland’s goal drought was ended as he ran onto Jeremy Doku through the ball before chipping in a routine chip into the back of the net. The goal brought City back into the top eight, at least for the time being, and settled some nerves within the Etihad.
Nico O’Reilly was unlucky to make it 2-0 with a great strike from 22 yards but goalkeeper Ugurkan Sekir denied the youngster with an excellent save, before Gianluigi Donnarumma had to be on hand to keep out a Victor Osimhen strike.
But City’s evening continued to live up to expectations when some good work from Doku saw the winger cut the ball back for Cherky, who slotted the ball into the near corner.
Phil Foden, filling in for the injured Doku, should have made it 3-0 before half-time after being met by Eite-Nouri, but the midfielder fired an effort high and wide.
Complete the work of the city
Another good chance came for Osimhane after delivering a free header from a corner but once again the striker put it straight at Donnarumma.
Omar Marmoush then spurned a great chance to wrap up the game with a third but his finish was straight at the keeper. The brilliant Ait-Nouri could have easily found a third moments later after a fine link-up with Cherky but his goal-bound shot was blocked.
Osimhen and Haaland could have easily scored for their sides with a pair of chances at either end but neither striker could get enough touch to slot the ball home.
While they were yet to finish the game properly, City’s place in the last 16 was safe as results went their way, with a third believed to be needed to put it beyond doubt as Galatasaray continued to probe.
A second chance fell Osimhen’s way and once again the Nigerian man couldn’t do enough and City made it to the last 16 from the Etihad.
