Phil Foden shines for Man City against Dortmund
Manchester City 4 - 1 Borussia Dortmund
Phil Foden scored twice and Erling Haaland found the net against his former club as Manchester City eased past Borussia Dortmund
Author | Macca
Stadium | Etihad Stadium
Pep Guardiola’s side remain unbeaten after four group matches, and this third win lifts them to fourth in the standings, with the top eight sides set to qualify automatically for the knockout rounds. After last season's struggles in the competition, they look a much better side. A good run this season is absolute must.
Dortmund began brightly under Nico Kovac but their early promise faded as City struck twice in seven first-half minutes to take charge.
Foden was at the heart of everything
He first forced Gregor Kobel into a sharp save with a fierce drive from distance, then tested the goalkeeper again with a curling free-kick. His persistence paid off in the 22nd minute when he collected the ball on the edge of the area and, afforded too much space, guided a precise low finish into the bottom corner.
It was his first Champions League goal in exactly a year, having last scored in a 4-1 defeat to Sporting.
City poured forward relentlessly and could have added more as Kobel tipped over a close-range effort from Nico O’Reilly before Haaland powered in a cutback from Jeremy Doku on 29 minutes. The Dortmund keeper remained busy, pushing away a fierce strike from Tijjani Reijnders before the interval.
After the break, Foden struck again, bending a superb shot beyond Kobel to make it 3-0. Dortmund, who sit 14th in the table, mounted a late response when Waldemar Anton turned in a Julian Ryerson cross, but substitute Rayan Cherki sealed a convincing win in stoppage time with a smart solo effort.
Best City reaction to this comfortable win
Another three points on the board! 🙌
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 5, 2025
🩵 4-1 🟡 pic.twitter.com/4lzDTzk6dk
After the match, we spoke to a number of City fans who were delighted with this win and performance. Some did have some concerns about the defence though.
Tom: That was exactly the kind of dominance we needed before facing Liverpool on Sunday. The academy products continue to give fans plenty to be proud of. O’Reilly covers every blade of grass and always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Haaland is simply Haaland, incomparable and irreplaceable. Foden’s talent is extraordinary, and his low finishes into the corner are becoming a trademark. Defensively, we lost concentration in the final half hour and Dortmund’s goal felt inevitable, but Cherki justified Pep’s faith with a fine finish to round off an excellent display. So proud of the lads, bring on Liverpool.
Martin: A solid all-round showing. Foden is back for good, just like Take That. Doku is terrifying defenders, and Haaland rediscovered his scoring touch. Happy days all round.
Afiza: Cherki reminds me of Eden Hazard. His touches, flicks and ability to glide past players were superb. It was a complete team performance, though conceding such a simple goal was disappointing.
Dave: Outstanding attacking display, but the defence still looks vulnerable.
