UCL: Manchester City Dominates 10-Man Napoli with 2-0 Win

Haaland reaches 50 UCL goals as Man City beats Napoli 2-0

Erling Haaland became the fastest player to reach 50 UEFA Champions League goals as Manchester City beat 10-man SSC Napoli 2-0 at home. Read more.

The Italian champions’ defence managed to keep the chances to a minimum in the latter stages, but...

Erling Haaland made history by becoming the fastest player to reach 50 UEFA Champions League goals in just 49 appearances, helping Manchester City beat 10-man SSC Napoli 2-0 at home. The win leaves Napoli still without a win on English soil in 13 attempts across all competitions.

The match began with Tijjani Reijnders testing Napoli's defense with a stinging strike from range. Napoli's defense held strong initially, with Gianluigi Donnarumma making an impressive save on a Sam Beukema header from a corner. However, the game's dynamics changed when Giovanni Di Lorenzo was sent off for a foul on Haaland after a VAR review.

The turning point came when Di Lorenzo's red card forced Napoli to defend deeply. Manchester City capitalized on their numerical advantage in the second half, with Haaland scoring a stunning header in the 56th minute off a Phil Foden pass. Jeremy Doku sealed the win with a brilliant individual effort, slotting the ball past the Napoli goalkeeper.

Man City start 2025/26 with a win 💪#UCL pic.twitter.com/8eXB9yf5v3

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 18, 2025

Kevin De Bruyne's return to the Etihad Stadium was cut short after just 26 minutes due to Di Lorenzo's dismissal, which allowed Manchester City to take control of the game. Despite De Bruyne's limited playing time, Manchester City dominated possession and created multiple scoring opportunities.

A well-placed header from Erling Haaland clipping the roof of the net early in the match prompted Antonio Conte to make a tactical change, substituting Kevin De Bruyne. This move reflected Conte's desire to shore up his team's defense against Manchester City's attacking threat.

The visitors' defensive setup proved effective in frustrating City's attacking players. Despite dominating possession, City struggled to create clear scoring opportunities, with Phil Foden and Rodri's drilled efforts being comfortably dealt with by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. The Serbian goalkeeper made several crucial saves, including denying headers from Nico O’Reilly and Josko Gvardiol, and reacting well to prevent a Matteo Politano own goal in first-half stoppage time.

Manchester City's frustrations continued into the second half until they finally found a way through 11 minutes after halftime. Rodri's clever pass to Phil Foden, who then clipped a ball over the Napoli defense, allowed Erling Haaland to score with a precise header over Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. This goal marked Haaland's 50th UCL goal, making him the fastest player to achieve this milestone.

City sealed their victory 10 minutes later when Jeremy Doku scored his first goal of the season. Doku's impressive individual effort saw him wriggle through the Napoli defense before coolly finishing the ball into the net. This goal gave City a comfortable 2-0 lead, effectively ending Napoli's chances of a comeback.

The Italian champions’ defence managed to keep the chances to a minimum in the latter stages, but City had done enough to win just their second UCL match in their last eight outings in the competition, securing back-to-back wins for the first time in the 2025/26 season.

As for Napoli, they begin the UCL league phase by losing their 100% record this campaign.

That Foden assist 😮‍💨#UCL pic.twitter.com/cAPzIEYEaD

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 18, 2025

Match Analysis

Key Highlights

Manchester City secured a 2-0 win over Napoli at the Etihad Stadium, thanks to strong defensive performances from both teams in the latter stages.

City's victory marked their second win in their last eight UEFA Champions League outings, with this being their first back-to-back wins of the 2025/26 season.

Loss Ends Unbeaten Run

Napoli's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City ended their 100% win record in the current campaign.

Despite the loss, Napoli has shown promising form in their recent games, with their next challenge being against Sporting CP.

Post-Match Analysis

Manchester City's victory sets them up well for their upcoming fixture against Arsenal, while Napoli looks to bounce back from their loss. Napoli's inability to win on English soil continues to be a concerning trend for the Italian side.