Haaland nets brace as Man City start Champions League campaign with win in Porto

City’s previous visit to Estadio do Dragao had been their loss to Chelsea in the 2021 UCL final, and the hostile home fans tried their best to help their side create more bad memories for Enzo Maresca’s men.

City sought to quieten the crowd by dominating possession from the start, but Gianluigi Donnarumma was the first goalkeeper to make a save when he stopped Gabri Veiga’s near-post effort with his legs before the offside flag was belatedly raised. 

The Citizens’ first chance arrived in the 21st minute when Phil Foden scampered to the byline and dug out a cross to Haaland, whose powerful header was brilliantly tipped behind by Diogo Costa.

The Porto goalkeeper, who made five saves in the first half, then smothered Foden’s low effort before making a brilliant double stop three minutes later to deny Haaland and Rayan Cherki, eliciting roars from the home faithful.

The Porto fans were even louder when Veiga ended up in a heap following an aerial challenge with Marc Guehi, leaving Francesco Farioli seething on his UCL managerial debut.

Haaland made it third time lucky less than two minutes into the second half, guiding Enzo Fernandez’s cross in off the post to score his fourth goal in three games across all competitions, and move joint-third on City’s list of all-time top goalscorers (166 strikes).

It was just the second goal Porto had conceded across all competitions this season, but the Portuguese champions responded with their best spell of the match. 

First, Donnarumma was saved by the offside flag when he flattened Pepe as the winger headed goalwards, before Alberto Costa nodded agonisingly past the post and Alan Varela flashed an effort inches wide. 

City were wobbling, but they rode out the storm, and Haaland slotted home in stoppage time to become the club’s third-highest goalscorer of all time across all competitions (167 strikes).

It mattered not, as Maresca claimed victory in his first UCL match in charge of City, who have now won their opening game of the competition in seven of the past eight seasons (D1). 

Porto, meanwhile, are left to rue their first home defeat of 2026 across all competitions and the loss of their 100% record across all competitions this term, and have now claimed victory in just two of their last 17 meetings with English opposition (D4, L11).

Flashscore Man of the Match: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Catch up on the match here.