Haaland’s Brace Not Enough as City Share Points with Monaco in Champions League Thriller

Key Takeaways:

• Erling Haaland scored twice in Manchester City’s 2:2 draw against Monaco in the Champions League main stage on 2nd round
• Haaland has now netted 52 goals in 50 Champions League matches across three clubs
• City sit on 4 points after two matches, while Monaco secured their first point of the campaign

Match Analysis

Manchester City’s return to the Louis II Stadium ended in a dramatic 2:2 stalemate against Monaco in the second round of the Champions League’s main stage. Despite Erling Haaland’s striking prowess, which saw him bag a brace, City were held by a late penalty equaliser in France.

The action unfolded swiftly, with three of the four goals coming before the interval. Haaland continued his remarkable Champions League record by opening the scoring in the 15th minute, superbly converting Joško Gvardiol’s precise ball with a clinical finish into the roof of the net. However, Monaco responded quickly – within three minutes, Krépin Diatta teed up Jordan Teze on the edge of the area, who powered a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma to restore parity.

Eric Dier with a late equaliser for Monaco against Man City 👊#UCL pic.twitter.com/gkrhWac3sU

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 1, 2025

City exerted considerable pressure after the leveller, but opportunities were missed by Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden, and Nico O’Reilly. The visitors’ dominance eventually paid off in the 42nd minute when Haaland rose above the Monaco defence to head City back in front.

Statistics and Records

Haaland’s two goals take his Champions League tally to an extraordinary 52 in 50 appearances. His breakdown across clubs now stands at 8 goals from 6 appearances for Salzburg, 15 from 13 with Borussia Dortmund, and 29 matches for City have produced 31 goals. In the previous round, Haaland became the fastest player to reach the 50-goal milestone in the competition’s history.

Among currently active players, only Robert Lewandowski (105) and Kylian Mbappé (60) have outscored Haaland in the tournament. If Haaland maintains this prolific pace, Cristiano Ronaldo’s record total of 140 goals could come within reach.

Late Drama Secures a Point for Monaco

The second half was closely contested, with both sides carving out noteworthy chances but failing to add to their tallies until stoppage time. A VAR intervention awarded Monaco a penalty in the closing moments following a foul on Eric Dier. The English defender stepped up himself and secured the equaliser, sending his spot-kick into the right corner past Donnarumma, levelling proceedings at 2:2.

The result leaves Pep Guardiola’s side on 4 points from two matches, whilst Monaco earn their first point of the group stage. Looking ahead, City will travel to Villarreal and Monaco will host Monaco in the third round, with fixtures scheduled for 21 and 22 October, respectively.

Match Summary