Man City 3-1 Copenhagen [6-2 agg.]: Straightforward win eases holders into quarter-finals

Manchester City recorded their tenth straight win in the Champions League to ease into the quarter-finals and continue the defence of their European crown.

Pep Guardiola’s team held a healthy 3-1 advantage over FC Copenhagen from the first leg in Denmark three weeks ago and increased that by two goals after just 10 minutes here courtesy of Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez.

A Mohamed Elyounoussi goal was a mere consolation for Jacob Neestrup’s side as Erling Haaland scored a third for the home team on the cusp of half-time.

Having sown up progression into the last-eight of Europe’s premier competition, City’s focus returns to their Premier League title defence with a visit to leaders Liverpool to come this weekend.

Story of the game

An 11th consecutive season in the Champions League and the prospect of reaching a seventh straight quarter-final in the competition had Guardiola highlighting in his programme notes the consistency required to achieve such feats.

“The record shows how consistent we have been,” he wrote.

“We work hard every single day to be as good as we can be and to be here again is a reflection of the dedication and professionalism all our players and staff show.”

With this tie all but settled and an Anfield assignment to come on Sunday, City made seven changes from the 3-1 derby win over Manchester United — but there was no rest for Ederson, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Haaland who still formed the spine of the starting lineup.

Copenhagen had a mountain to climb and were not aided by being without a number of key players, including captain Viktor Claesson, so three relatively inexperienced teenagers formed the majority of their attack.

It was a blitz of a start from City, too, and their visitors were left in their slipstream — any doubt over the outcome of this tie was extinguished. After just five minutes, Alvarez whipped in a corner from the left and Akanji held off Scott McKenna to strike a side-footed volley past Kamil Grabara.

The Copenhagen goalkeeper did not cover himself in glory following Alvarez’s next corner less than four minutes later. This time it was curled in from the right and met at the back post by Rodri, who struck the crossbar.

The ball was only cleared as far as Alvarez and although the Argetinian’s shot was well-struck, it should have been easy pickings for Grabara. Instead, the 'keeper allowed it to fly through his grasp and into the back of his net.

A difficult night appeared in the offing for the team third in the Danish Superliga. A third Alvarez corner caused further problems for those in navy and black. Grabara tipped that one over his crossbar but the Norweigan referee took a lenient view of what looked to be a foul by Peter Ankerssen on Akanji as the pair jostled at the back post.

The supporters from the Danish capital were not undimmed despite their team’s early troubles, and they had something to cheer in the 29th minute. A nice counter-attacking move had Elyounoussi driving in from the left and sliding in Orri Steinn Oskarsson who returned the ball to the former Southampton winger with a backheel that he finished past Ederson.

But City’s two-goal advantage on the night was restored before the break. Rodri’s ball over the top in the third minute of first-half stoppage time picked out Haaland and the striker cut back onto his left foot before pulling a low shot through McKenna’s legs and into the near corner of Grabara’s goal.

Rodri was given the second half off as Guardiola wrapped his trusted midfielder in cotton wool but, in truth, there was a humdrum feel to the second period as it descended into little more than a City training exercise.

Yet, the first incident of note after the interval was a Copenhagen chance in the 67th minute which saw substitutes Roony Bardghji and Magnus Mattsson combine in the City area, with the latter having an effort saved by Ederson.

The lively Mattsson would be denied again by the City ‘keeper and also threaded the ball to Elyounoussi who had Akanji at his feet before he could release a shot. Rico Lewis struck the crossbar for the home team in stoppage time but City were long home and dry.