Man City 4-1 Borussia Dortmund: Foden's Impressive Double Secures Progress
Manchester City moved firmly into the Champions League top eight with a commanding 4-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night. The match, part of the group stage fixtures, served as an early indicator of City's potential for the remainder of the competition, with Phil Foden emerging as the standout performer with his second-half double.
The encounter saw City, managed by Pep Guardiola, take control early. Erling Haaland, facing his former club, continued his exceptional form, opening the scoring just after the half-hour mark with a powerful strike. Foden then stepped up, capitalizing on a chance presented by Haaland's movement to level the scores after 22 minutes. The 25-year-old attacker restored City's lead just before the interval with a superb finish.
Despite Dortmund pulling one back through Waldemar Anton late in the second half, Foden silenced any lingering doubts, slotting home the fourth goal with characteristic composure just after the 90th minute. The victory ensured City, already boasting a staggering 10 points from their opening four fixtures, are guaranteed to progress to the knockout stages.
Guardiola lauded Foden's return to form, describing the midfielder as "back to his best." "Phil is back," the City boss stated. "How many times have we seen Phil score these type of goals? We miss this a lot last season but I think he is going to help us a lot this season." Foden's goals, according to former defender Danny Mills, were "sublime," confirming his importance to the team's attacking options.
While Foden stole the headlines, Haaland also contributed significantly, adding to his season's goal tally with his second strike. The Norwegian international now sits on an impressive 27 goals for City this campaign. Guardiola acknowledged the team's improvement after a slightly scrappy start, stating, "For the first 10 or 15 minutes, we didn't know where we were." He added, "If we can make another one or two victories, maybe we can get close to finishing in the first eight."
The win extinguished any threat of a dramatic comeback from the resilient Bundesliga side, who had already tasted defeat once that evening. City now look set for a straightforward passage through the group stages, provided they maintain their current level of performance. Player ratings for the match saw Foden awarded the highest mark, fittingly cementing his status as the match's standout player.
Match Report Details * Full Time: Manchester City 4-1 Borussia Dortmund * scorers: Phil Foden (22', 57'), Erling Haaland (29'), Rayan Cherki (90+1') * Dortmund scorer: Waldemar Anton (72') * Competition Stage: UEFA Champions League Group Stage * Venue: Etihad Stadium * Date: November 6, 2025
"Foden's two finishes were sublime. He was back to his brilliant best." - Danny Mills
"Manchester City: Donnarumma 6, Nunes 7, Stones 7, Gvardiol 7, O'Reilly 6, Nico 6, Reijnders 7, Savinho 7, Foden 8, Doku 7, Haaland 8." - Match Player Ratings
"For the first 10 or 15 minutes, we didn't know where we were. ... After going to five at the back, we could arrive better and we finished the game with a good goal." - Pep Guardiola
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