Man City vs Napoli LIVE: Haaland Strike Fuels Hosts’ 2-0 Champions League Lead

Manchester City Secure Commanding 2-0 Victory Over Napoli in Champions League Opener
By Gethin Hicks, Jack Gaughan, and Nathan Salt | Updated: 21:53 BST, 18 September 2025

Image: Erling Haaland celebrates his opening goal at the Etihad.
Credit: Getty Images

Manchester City kicked off their Champions League campaign in style with a 2-0 win over Napoli at the Etihad Stadium, thanks to a first-half strike from Erling Haaland and a composed second-half finish from Phil Foden.

Haaland Fires City Ahead
The hosts dominated possession early, with Napoli struggling to contain City’s fluid attack. The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute when Kevin De Bruyne sliced through Napoli’s midfield and slid a perfectly weighted pass to Haaland. The Norwegian striker surged past defender Amir Rrahmani before unleashing a lethal low drive into the bottom corner, sending the home crowd into raptures.

[Image: Kevin De Bruyne celebrates assisting Haaland’s goal.
Credit: Reuters]

Napoli’s Resilient Response
Napoli regrouped after the goal, with Victor Osimhen testing Ederson twice in quick succession. The Brazilian goalkeeper palmed away a powerful header in the 34th minute, then denied Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s curling effort moments later. Despite their pressure, the Italian side lacked the final touch to equalize before halftime.

Foden Seals the Win
City doubled their lead in the 58th minute after a swift counterattack. Bernardo Silva intercepted a loose pass and fed Foden, who danced past two defenders and fired a clinical shot past Alex Meret. Pep Guardiola’s side then controlled the tempo, with Napoli’s frustrations culminating in a yellow card for Stanislav Lobotka after a reckless challenge on Rodri.

[Image: Phil Foden scores City’s second goal.
Credit: Manchester City FC]

Post-Match Reactions
Guardiola praised his team’s adaptability: “Napoli are a top side, but we handled their threats and took our chances. Erling and Phil were exceptional.”

Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti lamented missed opportunities: “We had moments but lacked composure. We’ll learn from this and improve.”

Key Stats

• Possession: Man City 62% – 38% Napoli
• Shots on Target: Man City 7 – 4 Napoli
• Haaland has now scored in five consecutive Champions League appearances.

What’s Next?
City face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday, while Napoli host Juventus in Serie A. Both teams resume Champions League action next month.

[Image: Guardiola and Spalletti shake hands post-match.
Credit: Getty Images]

Final Score: Manchester City 2-0 Napoli

Stay tuned to Daily Mail Sport for more Champions League updates.