Manchester City F.C. Thrashes AC Sparta Praha 5-0 in UEFA Champions League Group Stage Opener

Erling Haaland Scores a Hat-trick as City Dominates Czech Opponents

Manchester City F.C. began their UEFA Champions League campaign with a resounding 5-0 victory over AC Sparta Praha at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. Norwegian striker Erling Haaland continued his impressive scoring form, netting a hat-trick to lead the English champions to a comfortable win.

Haaland's Impressive Performance

Haaland opened the scoring in the 37th minute, tapping in a rebound after a shot from Kevin De Bruyne was saved by Sparta goalkeeper Milan Heča.

The 22-year-old doubled City's lead just before half-time, heading in a cross from Joao Cancelo.

Haaland completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minute, scoring from close range after a clever pass from Phil Foden.

City's Dominance

Manchester City controlled the match from start to finish, dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities.

The hosts had 72% possession and completed 682 passes compared to Sparta's 28% possession and 223 passes.

City also had 20 shots on goal compared to Sparta's 3, with 11 of City's shots on target.

Other Scorers

In addition to Haaland's hat-trick, Riyad Mahrez and Julián Álvarez also got on the scoresheet for Manchester City.

Mahrez made it 4-0 in the 75th minute, converting a penalty after Haaland was fouled in the box.

Álvarez added the fifth goal in the 87th minute, finishing off a counter-attack with a clinical strike.

Conclusion

Manchester City's emphatic victory over AC Sparta Praha was a statement of intent from the Premier League champions.

With Haaland leading the line, City will be confident of making a deep run in this season's UEFA Champions League.