Thursday5 November 2026English edition
Talas & Talasim
Arabic
Report · Champions League

Haaland's finish settles a game City twice let slip

Manchester City beat RB Leipzig 3-2 after Erling Haaland’s 78th-minute finish settled a match in which they had twice surrendered the lead. Elliot Anderson supplied the decisive cross, but City’s inability to protect either advantage left Enzo Maresca with defensive questions despite the three points.

Editorial board · 5 November 2026
Stadium stands view featuring a bold 2-3 score overlay for the RB Leipzig and Manchester City match cover.
Erling Haaland's late winner secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory for Manchester City against RB Leipzig after they twice let their lead slip. Collage: Talas & Talasim; ground photo: Steffen Prößdorf

Manchester City beat RB Leipzig 3-2 after Erling Haaland’s 78th-minute finish settled a match in which they had twice surrendered the lead. Elliot Anderson supplied the decisive cross, but City’s inability to protect either advantage left Enzo Maresca with defensive questions despite the three points.

Half timeFull time
RB Leipzig · 4-3-3Manchester City · 4-1-4-1Maarten VandevoordtVandevoordtRidle BakuBakuWilli OrbánOrbánCastello LukebaLukebaDavid RaumRaumNeil El AynaouiEl AynaouiChristoph BaumgartnerBaumgartnerEzechiel BanzuziBanzuziBrajan GrudaGrudaRômuloRômuloAntonio NusaNusaGianluigi DonnarummaDonnarummaMatheus NunesNunesAbdukodir KhusanovKhusanovMarc GuéhiGuéhiNico O'ReillyO'ReillyElliot AndersonAndersonPhil FodenFodenEnzo FernándezFernándezRayan CherkiCherkiIliman NdiayeNdiayeErling HaalandHaaland
· Confirmed 21:05 EET · Line-ups: espn.com

City had been under pressure for much of the first half when Nico O’Reilly’s low delivery was turned into his own net by Castello Lukeba in the 37th minute. Leipzig’s response came soon after the interval: Brajan Gruda found Ridle Baku, whose low effort from a tight angle beat Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 49th.

Enzo Fernández restored City’s advantage with a header from Iliman Ndiaye’s cross in the 58th minute. Leipzig answered three minutes later, Christopher Nkunku setting up Antonio Nusa to drive in the equaliser. The home side had again found a way through a defence that struggled to contain their attacking movement.

The decisive move came when Anderson carried the ball down the right and delivered across the area. Haaland slid in to finish at the far post in the 78th minute, giving City the lead for a third time. Leipzig threatened again, with David Raum’s free-kick striking the crossbar, but could not find another equaliser.

The win took City to nine points after four league-phase matches, while Leipzig remained on three. City leave with the result they needed, but their repeated failure to defend a lead remains the issue Maresca must address.