One of Switzerland’s daily newspapers had depicted Erling Haaland as a cartoon giant on its front page on Wednesday.
Tiny Young Boys defenders were drawn clinging onto him by strings, with the headline asking how they go about taming the most threatening man in Europe. It had been going fairly well for 67 minutes.
Nowhere in the advice did it say not to give him penalties. No need really: that much is blindingly obvious. But Mohamed Camara did, Haaland said thanks and Manchester City were navigating their way out of an awkward night — and not just because of the plastic pitch.
Haaland, who missed a hatful of chances, helped himself to a second later on for added gloss.
Awkward and interesting, the trip to Bern. Young Boys gave them real problems, especially when Meschack Elia lobbed in an equaliser, while different conclusions can be drawn on Pep Guardiola’s calculated gamble regarding his selection.
Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring against Young Boys in the Champions League on Wednesday evening
Haaland scored his first goal of the game from the penalty spot to restore his side’s lead during the second half
Rodri congratulates Haaland after the striker scored City’s third goal of the game to seal the three points for his side
Six stars who will expect to run out at Old Trafford for Sunday’s Manchester derby sat watching from the bench. Was that precautionary for certain individuals given the surface, or with an eye on United? Guardiola said merely rotation of a good squad which, while true, doesn’t feel like the entire story.
It was a night when Jack Grealish, City’s most productive player, staked a claim for a spot at the weekend and one that gave them some impetus, leaving the European champions needing one more win to settle qualification for the last 16 yet again.
An intense examination last night but a breezy group stage overall. Eight points ahead of third place with three games left. Let’s assume it is done.
‘Exceptional,’ Guardiola said. ‘With this pitch the ball comes in different shapes and sometimes more difficult. The way we played the game was really good.’
The artificial pitch mixed with the conditions, teeming with rain, reduced one of the greatest midfielders of his generation to a limp mess. A routine ball into Guardiola’s technical area just needed gathering and popping off to Ulisses Garcia so the Young Boys left back could restart play.
Guardiola’s legs went, a confused manager staring at his feet as the ball bobbled about. Once he finally gained control of it, his black suit shoe couldn’t get any purchase in an attempt to flick the thing up into Garcia’s arms.
And there were few better than him, way back when. Now a mere mortal on the skiddy Astro turf. Might as well have been at any Powerleague. His team had got to grips with it by half-time and almost looked as if they were enjoying the change.
They were warned early on that this was no stroll, though. Filip Ugrinic did that within seconds, Joel Monteiro embarrassing Nathan Ake before his strike stung Ederson’s palms. Ake later made a crucial intervention to stop Sandro Lauper from sliding into the City net on the counter.
City began to gain control as Rodri headed a Matheus Nunes corner wide. The summer signing then swept over a Grealish cross.
Quite what Grealish has done to the good people of Bern only the locals know but — as is customary at every away ground in England — the No 10 found his every touch incessantly jeered, with the weird obsession of him now having gone continental. That his accidental clash with Lewin Blum drew blood hardly helped the animosity.
Haaland beat the keeper from the spot to end his five-game goal drought in Europe’s premier competition
The Norwegian missed a number of chances during the game but found the net with a brilliant finish in the latter stages
Haaland shifted the ball on to his ‘weaker’ right foot before giving the keeper no chance with a finish into the top corner
Manuel Akanji broke the deadlock from close range minutes after half-time after Dias’ header came back off the bar
He was good, Grealish. Again it was him who slipped Jeremy Doku clear, only for the winger to fluff his lines. Doku later produced a far better stop from Anthony Racioppi with a bending effort.
Loris Benito had cleared one off the line when the goalkeeper fumbled with Nunes following in. A £53million signing from Wolves, Nunes has yet to sparkle in a City shirt. The role just behind the striker is a concept with which he is not overly familiar and, at the moment, that is showing.
City returned from the break with renewed vigour. Manuel Akanji’s header kissed the post from Grealish’s cross before the Switzerland hero managed to nab one in his own back yard three minutes into the second half. Ruben Dias attacked a Rodri centre with more aggression than anyone else, Racioppi tipping onto the bar, and Akanji bundled it in.
Akanji celebrates with team-mate Rodri after giving his side the lead in the Champions League clash in Switzerland
Meschack Elia levelled the scores minutes after Akanji’s goal with a sublime finish but young boys couldn’t hold out
City manager Pep Guardiola hugs star striker Haaland following the referee’s full-time whistle at the Wankdorf Stadium
A ridiculously high line four minutes later exposed City, though. One long ball over the top, Elia running off the back of Rico Lewis. Ederson rushed out and Elia lobbed over him with poise.
For a bit, this place resembled the famous bear pit a mile down the road. The beasts in there, a tourist attraction, aren’t expected to hibernate for another couple of weeks and there was no hiding by Young Boys here either.
They were eventually tamed, though. Incensed by the penalty, awarded by the frantic Morten Krogh for a trip on Rodri by Camara, they never recovered. Substitute Julian Alvarez saw a third disallowed for handball before Haaland classily curled in his second on his wrong foot.
‘People expect him to score four goals all the time and want him to fail,’ Guardiola said. ‘I’m sorry, this guy is going to score goals all his life. He is participating more in the process. I don’t want him to just stay in the box and score a goal.’
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