Haaland Double Seals Man City Win at Porto Despite Maresca Concerns

Manchester City opened their European campaign with a 2-0 win at Porto, Erling Haaland striking twice after the break at the Estadio do Dragao.

The result puts City on course ahead of next month’s matchday-two meeting with reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain. Enzo Maresca praised his side’s all-round display, despite a nervous evening playing out from the back.

Quick facts

• Manchester City won 2-0 away to Porto.
• Erling Haaland scored both goals in the second half.
• Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, made his first City start after his £85 million summer move from Lille.
• City face Paris Saint-Germain next month.
• Maresca said his players, rather than goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, must make better choices in possession.

Gianluigi Donnarumma endured several uncomfortable moments. One attempted clearance hit Porto’s William Gomes and rolled narrowly wide, while the goalkeeper had also had a close escape against Coventry City when the ball nearly ran beneath him.

Maresca refused to pin the Porto incident solely on Donnarumma. He said City had too often chosen to recycle possession back to the Italian when other forward options were available.

“A few times tonight, it is not a Gigio mistake,” Maresca said. “For me, it is the wrong choice to pass back to Gigio. We go back sometimes more than necessary. You can use the keeper when there is no other option, but the players have to locate another option.”

City had created enough before the interval, only to be denied by Porto’s goalkeeper, before Haaland turned their control into goals. Maresca said the performance lasted the full 95 minutes, both with and without possession.

“We made enough chances to win in the first half and their goalkeeper was very good,” he said. “We wanted to carry on the same way in the second half. It is one game at a time. Different competition, different stadium, but the key thing is that we show who we are.”

Bouaddi earns Maresca’s backing

The other major talking point was Bouaddi’s assured first start. The Morocco international played alongside £125 million signing Enzo Fernández and handled the hostile setting after a few early mistakes.

Maresca highlighted the teenager’s calmness and maturity, pointing to his reaction after losing possession twice in the Coventry match. Rather than panic, Bouaddi recovered into City’s own area and stayed composed.

“He is different in his empathy and in how mature he is,” Maresca said. “That is why the club made the effort to bring him here. He is a very good player. After two lost balls against Coventry, he was calm inside our box. Many players panic after two passes, but he is 18 and a fantastic player. He was very good tonight.”

City’s midfield rebuild also includes Fernández and Elliot Anderson. Maresca said the club had invested heavily to bring in all three players and accepted responsibility for giving them the right platform.

“The club has made a fantastic effort to bring Enzo, Bouaddi and Elliot Anderson,” he said. “Now it is my job to let them work in the right way and use them.”