Erling Haaland’s outstanding goal completed a thrilling comeback by Manchester City and handed last team Borussia Dortmund a humiliating Champions League loss at Etihad Stadium.
City labored against a calm Dortmund, who grabbed the lead after 56 minutes when the superb Jude Bellingham headed in a cross from Marco Reus.
With 10 minutes remaining, defender John Stones struck a hard shot past Dortmund goalkeeper Alexander Meyer to give Pep Guardiola’s team a point they had been searching for.
Four minutes later, Haaland inevitably delivered a truly memorable moment by displaying exceptional athleticism to soar through the air and score from Joao Cancelo’s cross.
The magical moment of Haaland
Despite mainly being ignored by his old Dortmund teammates, Haaland nevertheless provided the crucial, magnificent contribution that helped City come back from behind to win.
Minutes before scoring, the young Norwegian, playing in the background, sent a warning with a shot that missed the post.
Stones’ equalizer changed the focus of a game in which Dortmund’s composed defense, led by the seasoned Mats Hummels and Bellingham’s controlling play in midfield, left City frustrated.
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Stones’ goal was struck with plenty of force, but the strangely static goalkeeper Meyer encountered little resistance.
When Haaland leaped into the air to meet Cancelo’s cross with his outstretched left foot and deflect the ball past a stunned Meyer, City suddenly sensed a victory, but it was still something special.
His father, former City midfielder Alf-Inge, grinned widely as he watched from the stands. He recreated the scene naturally without his son’s grace and talent.
Haaland scored his 26th goal in 21 Champions League games, giving him 13 for the year.
The 22-year-old was bought specifically for moments like these, when crucial Champions League games were on the line and City’s supporters were ecstatic.
As a result, City now has a striker that every club in the tournament will be afraid of and a maximum return from only two games.
