Manchester City 3-1 FC Porto
When FC Porto took a surprise lead in the Etihad Stadium, some statisticians would have pondered some UEFA Champions League stats and wondered whether they were about to be broken.
The key question, of course, was could the Portuguese champions win on English soil for the first time at the 21st time of asking?
Well, after an exciting 90 minutes, the answer was ‘no’ as Manchester City got their Group C campaign off to a flyer with a bit to spare.
Highlights of the game
Briefly, it looked like there could be a surprise.
After all, it had been only two months since City were knocked out of the competition by Lyon, a side considered at a level similar to Porto.
City have made the Champions League their quest, their holy grail, so the pressure was all on the hosts — and they fell behind inside the opening quarter of an hour.
It was a superb goal too – one for the evening’s UEFA Champions League 2020 highlights compilation – as Luis Diaz ran across the edge of the City area unchallenged before cutting inside and thumping an effort into the bottom corner.
As the hosts ball-watched, Porto celebrated a dream start as they went in search of winning their opening group match for the first time in their past five Champions League campaigns.
If they had been able to hold onto that lead, matters could have been different but City were quickly level.
Veteran defender Pepe clattered into Raheem Sterling as he pounced on a loose ball after Ilkay Gundogan had struck the post. Sergio Aguero slammed home the resultant penalty past the luckless Agustin Marchesin, who had been injured when trying to clear the initial danger.
Had Kyle Walker not superbly hooked the ball off the line late in the first half, after Moussa Marega’s low cross deflected off Joao Cancelo, the SBOTOP Champions League 2020 betting odds may have tilted more towards Porto.
However, once City had the lead just past the hour mark, the outcome was never in doubt.
When Gundogan was fouled on the edge of the box, he promptly dusted himself up and lifted the ball over the wall and out of the reach of Marchesin.
He and Aguero were soon replaced by Phil Foden and new signing Ferran Torres, and the two substitutes combined to make the game safe 17 minutes from time. Foden found the young Spaniard, who burst into the box before bending a fine finish into the far corner.
On the day Sterling called on social media companies to “show real leadership and take proper action” against online abuse, this was a game in which City showed leadership without ever needing to be at their vintage best.
The only potential downside was the brief cameo of Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho, who came on as an 85th-minute substitute, only to leave the fray with an injury in stoppage time.
A fit Fernandinho will surely have a key role to play in the season ahead.
Key statistics
Since the beginning of last season, City have scored six goals via direct free-kicks (David Silva x2, Riyad Mahrez x2, Kevin De Bruyne & Gündogan), twice as many as any other Premier League side.
Aguero’s penalty equaliser was his first goal in any competition since March. The 231-day gap is the longest between goals in the Argentine’s career for club and country. (Football was halted until June and he was injured in his second game back until last Saturday).
City have won all of their three meetings with Porto. This was Porto’s 21st away game against English opponents in European competition and they are still looking for their first victory (drawn three, lost 18).
Foden has been directly involved in six goals in his last seven Champions League appearances (three goals and three assists) – this despite being a substitute in four of those games.
Porto have lost just three of their past 17 Champions League group matches, winning 11.
Since his Champions League debut for City in September 2015, Sterling has scored 20 goals in the competition – the joint-most of any English player, along with Harry Kane.
The last team to beat City in the group stage of the Champions League was Lyon, in September 2018.
What’s next?
City now face three successive away games – and it’s a quick turnaround too.
They are at West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday (October 24) before travelling to France to face Marseille in Group C next Tuesday and then are at Sheffield United in the top flight the following weekend.
Porto face back-to-back home matches with Gil Vicente the visitors on Saturday night before Olympiacos travel to Portugal in the Champions League next midweek.
Another quick turnaround sees the Red Dragons face Pacos Ferreira in the Primera Liga less than 72 hours later (October 30).
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