Erling Haaland sparks Manchester Metropolis win over Galatasaray to seal last-16 place | Champions League

Pep Guardiola typically bemoans the schedule so Manchester Metropolis ­getting into the final 16 instantly and lacking the home-and-away knockout playoff spherical happy the supervisor.

Metropolis led to eighth place due, partially, to Benfica’s 4-2 win in opposition to Actual Madrid, the Portuguese aspect being led by his outdated adversary, José Mourinho, to whom Guardiola will probably be comfortable to supply a thanks message.

“After all,” he mentioned, Metropolis’s ­dressing room having been transfixed by the later end on the Estádio da Luz. There, Anatoliy Trubin’s 98th-minute header squeezed Benfica into the playoffs and helped maintain Actual behind Metropolis. The goalkeeper’s presence within the space had been initially puzzling.

“We had been all there so we didn’t know Benfica wanted a purpose to qualify so when the goalkeeper goes up, we are saying: ‘Why you go?’ Nevertheless it was a superb technique for José,” Guardiola mentioned.

Metropolis will face one in all Actual Madrid, Inter, Bodo/Glimt or Benfica within the final 16. The draw to find out their opponents is on 27 February, with ­Guardiola’s aspect assured to be at dwelling within the second leg.

The victory got here from Erling ­Haaland’s opener and Rayan ­Cherki’s second, every earlier than the break. But a bitter word got here with Jérémy Doku’s damage on 36 minutes, after a tussle with Davinson Sánchez, and the winger is prone to miss the journey to Tottenham on Sunday. “I feel so,” Guardiola mentioned. “He’s a calf [problem] – he felt one thing.”

Of what was a patchy show in opposition to Galatasaray, he mentioned: “The primary half was higher than the ­second. Actually happy. Hopefully we will arrive in March for the subsequent spherical at our greatest.”

Haaland scored for under a second time in eight matches when sprinting on to Doku’s defence splitter, then coolly chipped Ugurcan Cakir, the visiting No 1.

Okan Buruk’s aspect arrived because the Turkish champions of the previous three seasons and Tremendous Lig leaders by three factors, having misplaced one in all 19 video games within the competitors this time period.

Buruk’s configuration was a 4-4-1-1 that includes Victor Osimhen because the No 9, and the Metropolis outdated boys Ilkay Gündogan and Leroy Sané in central and proper midfield respectively.

Metropolis are not the slick unit that scythes their foes open as illustrated by Doku, then Nico O’Reilly ­unloading at vary, Bernardo Silva hoofing the ball straight up and Cherki being mugged close to his space. Guardiola was livid and with ­Osimhen forcing Gianluigi ­Donnarumma right into a low save, Metropolis’s second purpose was welcome. Doku, zipping about in all places, popped up on the left, squared to Cherki, and in area within the space beat Cakir to the goalkeeper’s proper with ease.

After half an hour Metropolis had risen to seventh place. But Guardiola, ­with out the suspended Rodri and having once more dropped Phil Foden, was sad – Cherki the main target of his ire. When Doku limped off after the tussle with Sánchez Foden entered, however when the ball broke to Matheus Nunes from a Cherki nook the defender dawdled and allowed Osimhen to cost in the direction of purpose. An anguished Guardiola watched as Nunes recovered however right here was additional sloppy soccer from Metropolis.

Higher was Rayan Aït-Nouri’s slaloming run that took him alongside the left: he picked out a free Foden however he scooped over and on the whistle for the break Guardiola strode off.

Scores elsewhere meant Metropolis started the second half within the princely place of fourth – but in the identical odd mode, an Aït-Nouri excessive ball smashed again from midway for some cause, the most recent jarring sight.

When Nathan Aké’s distribution proved equally aimless, Guardiola delivered a verbal volley, and a interval but to have any rhythm was disrupted by three pitch invaders holding flags.

Buruk’s workforce had been on prime. A foray down their left claimed a nook, Gabriel Sara dipped it in however ­Osimhen’s header was easy for Donnarumma. A ­Turkish purpose and Metropolis can be jittery and the guests, in burgundy and orange, loved the management to pressure one.

When Cherki dropped deep and handed across the nook to Omar Marmoush alongside the left it was a uncommon assault from Metropolis – a quaint state of affairs for Guardiola’s workforce. So, too, a hopeful lengthy ball as much as ­Haaland. The centre-forward discovered Marmoush who, if his contact was higher, might need scored Metropolis’s third.

As an alternative, Osimhen almost lower the deficit – his shot had Donnarumma repelling well and Guardiola introduced on Tijjani Reijnders for Marmoush.

Nico González changed Cherki for the closing minutes but a slipshod ­Haaland go prompted Guardiola, once more, to carry his head.

An odd night, then, for Metropolis and one which Guardiola will certainly use to lecture his costs on what to not do.