MANCHESTER: Manchester City climbed to fourth in the Champions League standings after a commanding 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, moving within two points of leading trio Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Inter.
Dortmund began brightly, pressing high and keeping City pinned back in the opening spell. Yet once Phil Foden broke the deadlock with a precise low finish from the edge of the box in the 22nd minute, momentum quickly shifted. Seven minutes later, Erling Haaland doubled the lead with a powerful strike from Doku's cross, and the hosts began to dominate possession.
Despite a promising start, the visitors struggled to handle City's pace and movement, with goalkeeper Gregor Kobel repeatedly called into action before halftime. Foden struck again in the 57th minute, finishing neatly into the same corner to make it 3-0. Dortmund briefly responded when Waldemar Anton volleyed home after a short free kick to reduce the deficit to 3-1 with just under 20 minutes remaining, reports Xinhua.