BRUGES, Belgium: Manchester City delivered a dominant Champions League performance to sweep past Club Brugge 5-1 on Tuesday and re-emphasize their status as major contenders for a first European title.
Joao Cancelo gave City a deserved lead on the half-hour and Riyad Mahrez converted a penalty just before the break as Pep Guardiola’s side bounced back in style from last month’s loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Kyle Walker added a third early in the second half and 19-year-old Cole Palmer bagged his first Champions League goal minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Hans Vanaken pulled a goal back to great delight from the home supporters but Mahrez capped a thumping City victory with his second of the night.
The win leaves City side with six points after three games in Group A, with the champions of England and Belgium to meet again in two weeks in Manchester.
Ederson returned in goal for City after flying direct to Belgium last week following Brazil’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers, while Jack Grealish replaced Raheem Sterling in the front three.
Viewed as the weakest team in a group also featuring 2020 semifinalists RB Leipzig, Brugge had surprisingly held PSG to a 1-1 draw in their opening game of the section at the Jan Breydelstadion.
City, facing Brugge for the first time, twice had the ball in the net inside the opening 15 minutes. Grealish’s lob was ruled out for a push on Clinton Mata, with Rodri’s tap-in disallowed for offside.
Phil Foden fired into the side-netting after running onto a long ball, the England international’s free roaming as a false nine constantly troubling Brugge.
It came as little surprise Foden created the opening goal for Cancelo, chipping a delightful ball over the defense that the Portugal defender poked through the legs of former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
Stanley Nsoki chopped Mahrez down in the area late in the first half, the Algerian doubling City’s lead as he sent Mignolet the wrong way from the spot.
Mahrez nearly struck again before half-time but Mignolet beat away his first-time strike from Foden’s lay-off.
Walker all but put the match out of reach on 53 minutes when Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne combined, the latter rolling through for Walker to drill low past Mignolet.
Mignolet denied Foden with his legs as City continued to stream forward. Not even a spate of changes could check their momentum as Palmer scored three minutes after replacing De Bruyne.
No sooner had Belgium star De Bruyne walked off to warm applause from the home supporters than Palmer curled in from Raheem Sterling’s assist.
Mignolet saved well from Sterling after he escaped in behind the defense, with Ederson producing a sharp stop to turn away Charles De Ketelaere’s diving header.
Brugge refused to fold and Hans Vanaken steered in a consolation nine minutes from time, but the game finished as it started, with City flexing their muscle as Mahrez burst clear to complete the rout.
Man City crush Brugge to re-energise Champions League push
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Man City crush Brugge to re-energise Champions League push
- Pep Guardiola's side bounced back in style from last month's loss to Paris Saint-Germain
- Cole Palmer, 19, bagged his first Champions League goal minutes after coming on as a substitute
Alcaraz and Sabalenka set sights on Australian Open fourth round
- Spanish world number one Alcaraz came through a tough three-set arm-wrestle in round two
- Top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, faces Russia-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova
MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka return to the Australian Open battlefield on Friday with fourth round berths at stake, joined in the fight by third seeds Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev.
Spanish world number one Alcaraz came through a tough three-set arm-wrestle in round two and faces another tricky encounter against French 32nd seed Corentin Moutet.
The 22-year-old has again been handed an afternoon match on Rod Laver Arena, once more following Sabalenka on to Melbourne Park’s center court.
The Belarusian top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, faces Russia-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova to kick-off day six where temperatures are forecast to soar.
Alcaraz, who is bidding for a career Grand Slam of all four majors, said his testing 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 victory over Yannick Hanfmann in round two served him well.
“I’m still getting used to the conditions, getting used to playing better,” said the six-time Grand Slam winner.
“Just happy that I’m just improving every day after every match. So hopefully being better in the next round.”
Alcaraz has never gone past the quarter-finals in his four trips to Australia.
Should he beat Moutet, he will meet either American 19th seed Tommy Paul or Spanish 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to make the last eight once again.
Sabalenka, as the overwhelming favorite, was upset by Madison Keys in last year’s final but insists revenge is not her motivation.
“I look at each match as a new match, new opportunity. I have also been working really hard,” she said.
“For me, it doesn’t matter what was in the past. For me, it’s the new match.”
Like Sabalenka, Gauff has been impressive so far, saying she was “near perfect” in making the third round.
She faces fellow American Hailey Baptiste, ranked 70, on Margaret Court Arena.
World number three Gauff takes to the court after Russia’s three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev, who lines up against Hungary’s Fabian Marozan.
Last year’s beaten finalist Zverev has dropped a set in both his opening two matches and will have a tough encounter in an evening clash on John Cain Arena against British 26th seed Cameron Norrie.
Women’s seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and men’s 10th seed Alexander Bublik are also in action.
Home hope and sixth seed Alex De Minaur has again been awarded the night match on center court, this time against dangerous American Frances Tiafoe.
Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva rounds out the day’s action on Rod Laver Arena in a clash with Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
