PSG Hold Off Manchester City Comeback Despite Haaland Double
Manchester City’s comeback fell short as Paris Saint-Germain held on for a 3-2 win at the Etihad Stadium, despite Erling Haaland scoring twice after the break.
The European champions appeared to have settled the contest before half-time, racing into a 3-0 lead. Two of those goals came in the space of two minutes, putting City under immediate pressure after an opening period in which they had initially kept PSG quiet.
City produced a far stronger response after the interval. Haaland led the charge with a second-half double and the hosts finished with 27 attempts, repeatedly forcing PSG back during a frantic closing spell. But the deficit created before the break proved too great to erase.
Maresca sees City closing on Europe’s best
Enzo Maresca insisted the result did not reflect the balance of the match, arguing that City had shown they can compete with the leading sides on the continent.
“I feel we are close to that level,” Maresca said. “It was an unusual game because conceding twice in two minutes during the first half caused us major problems.
“Before their opening goal, we had not given them anything. Then the second came, and after the interval we created enough to deserve more.”
Maresca said PSG manager Luis Enrique admitted after the final whistle that the visitors had been fortunate to leave Manchester with the points.
“Luis told me they were quite lucky,” he added.
The City boss nevertheless praised PSG’s recent record, describing them as Europe’s standout team over the past two years after their run of victories in the competition.
What happens next
City return to Premier League duty on Saturday when newly promoted Ipswich Town visit the Etihad. Maresca will then turn attention back to Europe for a meeting with AEK.
PSG resume their Ligue 1 programme against Strasbourg before preparing for a major Champions League tie against Barcelona.
