Haaland's Late Strike Lifts Man City to Champions League Victory Over Leipzig

Haaland's late strike seals crucial win for Manchester City in Leipzig. AFP-ODD ANDERSEN Erling Haaland's 78th-minute strike helped Manchester City shake off a mini-slump with a 3-2 Champions League win at RB Leipzig on Wednesday.

After an excellent start to the season, City had lost two Premier League games in a row either side of beating Brighton on penalties in the League Cup. The visitors twice went ahead -- through a Castello Lukeba own goal and an Enzo Fernandez header -- only to be pegged back by goals from Ridle Baku and Antonio Nusa.

Get it: Fast, verified news for FREE. "For me I think it's easy.

It's around 100 minutes a game to just stay fully focused," Haaland told reporters. "In this period it was about trying to wait for the right moment and attack it in the right way and put it in the back of the net and that's exactly what I did.

Haaland has now scored 13 times in nine matches against Leipzig, including a memorable five-goal performance in a 7-0 rout in March 2023. Despite the victory, City were well below their usual best against a Leipzig side in a rebuilding process under new coach Martin Demichelis.

City coach Enzo Maresca, who arrived in the summer, conceded his side were still a work in progress" but praised Haaland. "It's important that he's on his game.

We know that at any moment he can help us, he can score goals," Maresca said. Maresca backed under-fire goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was out of position for Baku's equaliser.

We are talking about a mistake. A few minutes before he made a save that no keeper in the world could make.

Nusa's performance was a highlight for the hosts, with Haaland's Norway teammate now on six goals and seven assists in 14 matches this season as Leipzig look to replace Yan Diomande, who left for Real Madrid in the summer. It's a pity, to be honest, Nusa told TNT Sports.