Slovan Bratislava vs Manchester City Report
Scorers: Gundogan 8’, Foden 15’, Haaland 58’, McAtee 74’
Manchester City secured their first win in the inaugural UEFA Champions League league phase, comfortably beating Slovan Bratislava 4-0. The victory extended City’s unbeaten away run in the UCL to a record 12 matches.
Dominant Start: City Take Control Early
After a heavy 5-1 defeat to Celtic on matchday one, Slovan Bratislava faced a daunting challenge as City arrived in Bratislava. From the outset, the Slovakians found themselves under pressure, conceding the opening goal within 10 minutes.
İlkay Gündoğan, back in a City shirt, reacted quickly to a blocked shot from Savinho, striking home from the edge of the area for his first goal since returning to the club.
Things went from bad to worse for Slovan as City doubled their advantage soon after. Jérémy Doku, causing trouble down the right wing, angled his run into the box and set up Phil Foden, who curled a precise shot into the far corner, making it 2-0.
Doku and Foden Continue to Threaten
The attacking duo of Doku and Foden remained dangerous throughout the first half. Doku nearly added to City’s tally with a spectacular curling effort from the right, only to see his shot rattle the angle of the post and bar.
Foden, too, came close, with a powerful effort that was deflected onto the post by Slovan goalkeeper Dominik Takáč. At that stage, it seemed only a matter of time before City would find the net again, as Slovan’s defense struggled to contain the relentless pressure.
Haaland on Target and McAtee’s Impact
With City dominating possession and chances, Erling Haaland inevitably found his way onto the scoresheet. Rico Lewis threaded a perfectly timed through ball to the Norwegian striker, who rounded Takáč and slotted the ball into an empty net with ease, extending City’s lead to 3-0.
Guardiola, with one eye on the upcoming Premier League fixtures, promptly substituted Haaland, bringing on academy graduate James McAtee.
McAtee wasted no time in making an impact, capitalising on his opportunity to score City’s fourth goal. After a delicate pass from Foden, McAtee controlled the ball well and finished powerfully at the near post, sealing a comprehensive victory for City.
City Ease Off as Job is Done
After McAtee’s goal, City seemed to ease off, content to maintain their lead with minimal exertion. Pep Guardiola will view this match as a strong team performance and a well-executed game plan, as City dominated the game from start to finish.
Slovan Bratislava, meanwhile, have experienced back-to-back four-goal defeats in the UCL but are well aware that their European campaign will not be defined by results against the reigning UCL champions.
Key Moments
- Gündoğan’s Opener (10′): İlkay Gündoğan scores his first goal since returning to City, capitalising on a blocked shot to give City the lead.
- Foden Doubles the Lead (24′)**: Phil Foden curls a fine shot into the far corner after a great assist from Jérémy Doku.
- Haaland Adds a Third (60′): Erling Haaland rounds the goalkeeper and slots home after being played in by Rico Lewis.
- McAtee Seals the Win (78′): James McAtee scores City’s fourth goal with a clinical finish at the near post following Foden’s assist.
Conclusion
Manchester City’s comfortable victory showcases their depth and attacking prowess, sending a strong message in their UCL campaign.
Pep Guardiola will be pleased with his side’s dominance, control, and the contributions from players across the squad. As for Slovan Bratislava, they will look to bounce back and find points in matches against more evenly matched opposition in the remainder of their group stage fixtures.
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