UCL: City starts defense with a win, Newcastle underwhelming on return

Matheus Nunes and Phil Foden celebrate with Julian Alvarez after the Argentine fired home the second goal against Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday. (Photo credit: GOAL)

Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez scored twice to help the reigning champions to a 3-1 home win against Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad on Tuesday.

The Champions League returned to our screens with the Serbian side threatening an unprecedented upset with a goal at the death in the first half, but City did what champions do to turn the game on its head in the second half.

Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Rodri all missed glorious chances to get the champions in front in the first half, but Red Star’s goalkeeper Omri Glazer stood tall to repel every shot on target, although the visitors’ shot stopper won’t want to see City’s second goal again.

Osman Bukari fired past Ederson in the last minute of the first half against the run of play after receiving from Mirko Ivanic, but the linesman had the flag up for offside; replays showed the Ghana winger was onside, and VAR overturned the decision and awarded the goal.

As the champions did at the weekend away at West Ham, it didn’t take beyond a minute of the second half for City to level matters. Julian Alvarez received it from Haaland, and he slotted brilliantly past the Red Star goalkeeper.

City continued to attack their visitors, and Alvarez made it two on the hour mark. His deceitful freekick was misjudged by Glazer as it sailed home. The visitors seemed to have thrown in the towel at that stage, and all they did was defend their lives.

Glazer made a series of saves after the second goal, but he couldn’t stop Rodri from beating him with a deft finish in the 73^rd minute. Rodri side-footed home after receiving it from Foden in the Red Star area to make it 3-1 to the hosts.

Elsewhere on the night, AC Milan missed lots of chances to settle for a goalless draw with Newcastle United. The premier league side was making a return after twenty-odd years out and really didn’t impress on the night at the San Siro Stadium.

Rafael Leao and Oliver Giroud missed four chances between them, and with eight shots on targets and six corner kicks, AC Milan would feel they should have gotten more from the game than they did. The other game in the group ended 2-0 in favour of PSG over Borussia Dortmund.