Ghanaian-born Belgian international, Jeremy Doku, continued to impress as he made a significant impact for Manchester City on Wednesday night in Germany.
Manchester City secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) over RB Leipzig, extending their impressive record against German opposition to just one defeat in their last 22 matches (W17, D4).
The hosts aimed for a positive start at the Red Bull Arena after suffering a humiliating 7-0 defeat against Man City in the previous season’s group stage. However, the Cityzens dominated possession in the early stages, with Bernardo Silva missing a golden opportunity to give the visitors the lead. Nonetheless, Guardiola’s men persisted and were rewarded in the 25th minute when Phil Foden confidently finished a smart cut-back from Rico Lewis.
With the momentum on their side, City continued to attack. Erling Haaland narrowly missed the far post with an angled strike. Although the hosts’ defense held firm, Haaland had another effort brilliantly saved by Janis Blaswich in the Leipzig goal. The first half ended with City leading by a single goal.
In the second half, RB Leipzig emerged with renewed focus and equalized within three minutes. Yussuf Poulsen released Loïs Openda, who shrugged off Manuel Akanji’s challenge and calmly finished beyond Ederson.
City gradually regained control, with Haaland narrowly missing another chance and Foden hitting the woodwork with a powerful free-kick. In the final 10 minutes, substitute Julian Álvarez scored a sublime goal, curling the ball into the top corner to break Leipzig’s resistance.
Jeremy Doku added a late goal on the break, securing all three points for City. This victory extended their remarkable record in the UCL group stages to just two defeats in their last 31 matches (W23, D6). Leipzig will aim to bounce back against VfL Bochum in their next match after suffering their first defeat in nine matches.
