Erling Haaland etched his name deeper into Champions League history on Wednesday night, becoming the fastest player ever to score 50 goals in the competition as Manchester City defeated 10-man Napoli 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
The Norwegian striker reached the milestone in just his 49th appearance, shattering Ruud van Nistelrooy’s long-standing record of 62 games.
His trademark header, crafted from a sublime Phil Foden assist early in the second half, broke Napoli’s stubborn resistance and set Pep Guardiola’s men on their way to victory.
Jérémy Doku added the gloss with a dazzling solo strike to wrap up the win.
It was an evening of milestones and emotions for City fans. Kevin De Bruyne, back at the Etihad for the first time since his summer departure, was greeted with thunderous applause before being substituted midway through the first half after Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s dismissal forced Napoli into reshuffling.
The visiting captain saw red following a VAR review after he fouled Haaland as the last man.
Napoli, under Antonio Conte, had been resolute until that point, with goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic producing a string of superb saves to frustrate City.
The former Manchester United shot-stopper denied Rodri, Foden, Josko Gvardiol, and even Nico O’Reilly as the holders turned the screw.
But City’s persistence eventually told. Foden, fresh from starring in the Manchester derby, produced a moment of brilliance in the 56th minute, flicking the ball over two defenders for Haaland to glance home beyond the towering Milinkovic-Savic. The relief around the ground was palpable.
Doku, brimming with confidence, then sealed the result just after the hour mark. The Belgian winger danced between defenders before calmly slotting through the goalkeeper’s legs, putting the contest beyond doubt.
From there, City controlled proceedings with composure, keeping Napoli at bay while conserving energy ahead of their weekend showdown with Arsenal.
A record-breaking night ended with Guardiola’s side looking every bit the Champions League favourites again, powered by Haaland’s history-making moment and Doku’s fearless flair.
