Erling Haaland slid in at the back post in the 78th minute to give Manchester City a 3-2 win at RB Leipzig in the Champions League, after Leipzig had twice pulled level. Enzo Fernández also scored, and Castello Lukeba put through his own net.
Leipzig, Germany: Twice Manchester City went ahead at the Red Bull Arena, twice Leipzig answered, and in the end it took a Haaland finish to separate them. The 78th-minute winner gave Enzo Maresca’s side a 3-2 victory in a Champions League league-phase match that never settled.
An own goal opens the scoring
The first half was tight until the 37th minute. Nico O’Reilly worked the ball into a dangerous area and Castello Lukeba, trying to clear it, turned it into his own net to put City 1-0 up.
Leipzig needed only four minutes of the second half to respond. In the 49th minute Ridle Baku ran down the flank and shot across Gianluigi Donnarumma at the near post, catching the goalkeeper off guard and making it 1-1.
Fernández and Nusa trade blows
City retook the lead just before the hour. Iliman Ndiaye whipped in a cross and Enzo Fernández headed it home to make it 2-1. Leipzig refused to fold. Within three minutes, in the 61st, Antonio Nusa picked up the ball inside the area after a pass from Christopher Nkunku and shot low inside the post to level at 2-2.
Haaland finds the back post
The decisive moment came in the 78th minute. Elliot Anderson played a low ball into the box and Haaland slid in at the back post to finish. Leipzig goalkeeper Vandevoordt had already denied him once in the second half, but this time there was no stopping it.
It was a welcome away win for City, who had lost 1-0 to Brighton at the Etihad in their previous league match. Maresca’s side have three wins and a defeat from their four Champions League games, nine points in all, while Leipzig have just three points from four and are in a precarious position after earlier losses to Real Madrid and Como.
Result: RB Leipzig 2, Manchester City 3 (UEFA Champions League, league phase, Matchday 4, Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, 4 November 2026; half-time 0-1). City: Lukeba (own goal) 37’, Fernández 58’, Haaland 78’. Leipzig: Baku 49’, Nusa 61’.
