Manchester City 3, FC Copenhagen 1 (UEFA Champions League, Manchester City win 6-2 on aggregate)
Goals by Manuel Akanji, Julian Alvarez, and Erling Haaland made sure of a 6-2 aggregate win over FC Copenhagen.
After Akanji and Alvarez had City 2-0 up in 9 minutes a win looked inevitable but ex-Southampton man Mohamed Elyounoussi reduced the deficit to 2-1 after 29 minutes.
For a time it looked like Copenhagen might build on that but Erling Haaland snuffed out any chance of that just before half time with City’s third goal and City saw out the win thereafter to qualify for a sixth consecutive Quarter Finals in the Champions League.
It had all stated so well for City after they raced into a towering lead.
Akanji headed City into a 1-0 lead fate just 5 minutes, volleying home Julian Alvarez’ corner from 10 yards out.
Rodri struck the crossbar before Alvarez curled the rebound back in towards goal from the left and the ball squirmed through Grabara’s hands and into the back of the net to give City a 2-0 lead after 9 minutes.
Chances came for City but they soon came unstuck when Copenhagen put together a good passage of play midway through the first half.
And they soon had a goal back as City’s defence parted for the Danes – Mohamed Elyounoussi slotted home after his run took him deep into City territory and he was allowed to exchange passes with Orri Oskarsson before driving the ball inside the back post beyond the reach of Ederson.
But Haaland killed the game on the stroke of half time after controlling a long pass forward from Rodri and turning and drilling the ball past Kamil Grabara.
The second half was little more than a formality as Sergio Gomez, John Stones, Micah Hamilton, and Jacob Wright were brought on.
And Rico Lewis hit the crossbar in added time as City eased to victory in a game that was over long ago.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 3, FC Copenhagen 1 (UEFA Champions League, Manchester City win 6-2 on aggregate)
Ederson: 7. Busier night than anticipated. Almost made things worse for himself by giving the ball to Victor Froholdt at the start of the second half but he was rescued by Mateo Kovacic. Saved from Magnus Mattsson in the second half.
Rico Lewis: 6. Targeted by Elias Achouri with some success but came through the test and hit the crossbar in injury time at the end of the game.
Ruben Dias: 6. Walking a booking tightrope for the next round. Tidy defending.
Manuel Akanji: 7. Volleyed a superb first goal for City but slack defending let Mohamed Elyounoussi get past him for the Copenhagen goal. Blocked a late cross into the area.
Josko Gvardiol: 6. Played high on the left, had a shot drop on the roof of the net. Sloppy in the second half and gave away a half chance for Copenhagen to score.
Rodri: 7. Hit the woodwork, metronomic passing in midfield and set up Erling Haaland before his night was done.
Mateo Kovacic: 7. Deep lying role, missed out on the Copenhagen goal but saved Ederson’s blushes early in the second half with some good defensive work.
Oscar Bobb: 6. Handed the Good range of tricks close to goal. Got to see some physicality when he tangled with Scott McKenna. Faded in second half.
Julian Alvarez: 8. The rest did him good. Great with dead balls and crosses from the left. Set up Manuel Akanji and then curled a shot in which beat Kamil Grabara. Went more central after the break but propensity to lose the ball cheaply might be worrying.
Matheus Nunes: 6. Some sparks of ability but fell awkwardly and might have hurt his arm.
Erling Haaland: 7. Quiet until the goal but he took clinically.
Sergio Gomez (on for Rodri, 46): 6. Switched to a role on the left flank.
John Stones (on for Ruben Dias, 69): 6. Slotted into the defence.
Micah Hamilton (on for Matheus Nunes, 74): 6. More Champions League experience for the youngster.
Jacob Wright (on for Erling Haaland, 88): No time to mark.
GOALS – Manchester City 3, FC Copenhagen 1 (UEFA Champions League, Manchester City win 6-2 on aggregate)
Man City 1, FC Copenhagen 0: 5. Manuel Akanji was gifted plenty of space to take a free shot to volley home Julian Alvarez’ corner from 10 yards out
Man City 2, FC Copenhagen 0: 9. Kamil Grabara let Julian Alvarez’ curling shot squirm out of his grasp and into the back of the net after the Copenhagen keeper had palmed Rodri’s shot onto the crossbar
Man City 2, FC Copenhagen 1: 29. Mohamed Elyounoussi slotted home after his run took him deep into City territory and he was allowed to exchange passes with Orri Oskarsson before driving the ball inside the back post beyond the reach of Ederson
Man City 3, FC Copenhagen 1: 45+3. Erling Haaland controlled a long ball up from Rodri, and slotted inside the near post from 12 yards out to restore the 2 goal lead.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 3, FC Copenhagen 1 (UEFA Champions League, Manchester City win 6-2 on aggregate)
Man City: Ederson, Lewis, Dias (Stones 69), Akanji, Gvardiol, Rodri (Gomez 46), Kovacic, Bobb, Alvarez, Nunes (Hamilton 74), Haaland (Wright 88)
Man City Subs not used: Ortega, Carson, Walker, Stones, Ake, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Foden, Susoho
Goals: Akanji 5; Alvarez 9; Haaland 45+3
FC Copenhagen: Grabara, Vavro, Diks, McKenna, Ankerson, Clem (Hojlund 69), Elyounoussi, Jelert (Meling 78), Froholdt (Mattsson 58), Achouri (Bardghji 58), Oskarsson (Cornelius 69)
FC Copenhagen Subs not used: Runarsson, Buur, Sorensen, Larsson, Boilesen
Booked: Cornelius 84 (foul on Manuel Akanji); Mattsson 90
Goal: Elyounoussi 29
Referee: Espen Eskas