Haaland winner lifts Manchester City past Leipzig in five-goal contest

Erling Haaland scored the decisive goal as Manchester City defeated RB Leipzig 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday, November 4. Wearing the captain’s armband, the striker converted Elliot Anderson’s delivery in the 78th minute after the German side had twice recovered from a goal behind at the Red Bull Arena.

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According to Manchester City’s official match report, the result ended Leipzig’s run of five home victories without conceding. Haaland’s finish was his 13th goal in nine appearances against Leipzig and took his Champions League total to 62 goals in 61 games. City had to establish a lead three times before securing the victory.

The Bundesliga’s report described an opening period in which City had more possession but Leipzig created threats through Antonio Nusa and David Raum. The visitors went ahead in the 37th minute when Castello Lukeba put Nico O’Reilly’s low cross into his own net. That left Leipzig trailing at the interval despite their attacking opportunities.

The home side responded early in the second half. Christoph Baumgartner tested Gianluigi Donnarumma before Ridle Baku scored from a tight angle in the 49th minute, with Brajan Gruda providing the assist. Enzo Fernández restored City’s advantage in the 58th minute, heading in Iliman Ndiaye’s cross, but substitute Christopher Nkunku supplied Nusa for another equaliser three minutes later.

Haaland’s intervention did not end Leipzig’s chances of salvaging a point. Raum struck the crossbar with a free-kick, while Rayan Cherki also hit the woodwork for City. Gruda then had a late finish disallowed for offside. The Bundesliga reported that the defeat was Leipzig’s third in four matches in the competition’s league phase.

City’s report placed them seventh after their third win in four Champions League games, with the leading eight teams at the end of the league phase advancing directly to the round of 16. Their next European fixture is at home to Napoli on November 24. Before then, Enzo Maresca’s team returns to Premier League action away at Nottingham Forest.