MAnchester City, defending champions, reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League without any complications by beating Copenhagen 3-1 at home, this Wednesday in the second leg of the round of 16, after having already won 3-1 in the first leg in Denmark.
Despite the rotations and rest of several regular starters, City came out like a roller and before the first ten minutes had already distanced themselves.
A goal by Swiss defender Manuel Akanji, at 5 minutes, put those led by Josep Guardiola ahead.
A very serious error by goalkeeper Kamil Grabara allowed him Argentine Julián Álvarez scored the second goal of the game, at 9 minutes.
The 2-0 score relaxed many of Guardiola's men, who also played with a defensive line at the height of the midfield that Copenhagen punished on the counterattack. Mohamed Elyonoussi, an old acquaintance of British football, with a past in Southampton and Glasgow Celtic, led the counterattack from his own field, played a one-two with Orri Oskarsson, who returned the ball to him with a backheel, and reduced the gap in the 29th minute.
Any possible doubts and uncertainties that that goal could raise heading into the second half were cleared up by Erling Haaland on the brink of half-time. The Norwegian picked up a long pass from Rodrigo Hernández and made space for two defenders until he fired a shot at the near post.
With that goal, Haaland equals Sergio Agüero's 41 goals in the competition, but with 43 fewer games than the Argentine. The Norwegian also equals Harry Kane and Mbappé in this year's Golden Boot with six goals.
With seven changes compared to the team that beat Manchester United at the weekend, Manchester City reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the seventh consecutive season.
Pep Guardiola's team has not been left out of this round since Monaco eliminated them in 2017, in their first season at the Etihad Stadium.
SPORTS
With AFP and Efe
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