In a stunning Champions League upset, Manchester City fell 4-1 to Sporting CP at the Estádio José Alvalade, as Viktor Gyokeres netted a remarkable hat-trick, overshadowing Erling Haaland’s wastefulness.
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The match began well for City, with Phil Foden robbing the ball and firing them into a third-minute lead.
Haaland had three chances in the opening 30 minutes but failed to capitalize, missing a penalty and seeing his header cleared off the line by Gyokeres. Bernardo Silva also came close to scoring.
Sporting punished City’s missed opportunities when Gyokeres equalized before the break, and just after the restart, City were blown apart by two quick goals. Maximiliano Araújo scored a brilliant team goal, followed by Gyokeres converting a penalty.
City received a penalty of their own after an accidental handball by Ousmane Diomande, but Haaland’s penalty hit the bar. Sporting were then awarded another penalty, which Gyokeres converted to complete his hat-trick.
In terms of player ratings, Ederson earned a 6/10 for his efforts but was overrun by Sporting’s relentless attacks. The defense struggled, with Rico Lewis, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, and Manuel Akanji all receiving ratings of 4, while Josko Gvardiol’s performance was even worse, rated a 3 for being beaten for pace and conceding the first penalty.
In midfield, Kovacic (4/10) struggled to cope with Sporting’s intensity, while Bernardo Silva (6/10) showed promise in the first half. Matheus Nunes (5/10) also had a decent start but lost his composure and gave away a penalty.
Phil Foden, who was one of the few positives for City, earned a 7/10 for his first-half performance. Haaland, however, was dismal, failing to score despite multiple chances and missing a penalty, receiving a 3/10 rating. Savinho (5/10) made some contributions but failed to track back.
Substitute Ilkay Gundogan (5/10) wasn’t impactful, while Jeremy Doku (6/10) added some drive to City’s attack. Kevin De Bruyne’s return from injury was ill-timed, and his appearance didn’t change the tide.
Pep Guardiola, who started strong but couldn’t find answers as Sporting surged, was rated 4/10, with his late changes and tactical decisions failing to stop the opposition’s momentum.
