Haaland Doubles but Dier Denies City in Monaco Thriller
It was a dramatic night in the Champions League as Manchester City let a win slip away in the dying moments against Monaco. The game ended 2-2, but the story wasn’t just about the scoreline—it was about the worrying trend for Pep Guardiola’s side of conceding late goals and missing crucial opportunities to close out matches.
Erling Haaland, as expected, delivered on the big stage once again. The Norwegian striker scored both goals for City, taking his personal tally to an astonishing 52 in just 50 Champions League appearances. His finishing was ruthless, his movement sharp, and at times he looked unplayable. But despite his brilliance, Haaland himself admitted afterwards that the overall performance simply wasn’t good enough. He said that the team lacked energy in the second half and allowed Monaco to grow into the game instead of keeping their dominance from the first half.
City were twice in front, but Monaco found a way back each time. The most dramatic moment arrived in the 90th minute. A looping free-kick saw Eric Dier, now playing for Monaco after his move from Tottenham, get on the end of it. Instead of heading the ball, he was caught in the face by City substitute Nico Gonzalez. After a long VAR check and heated arguments on the sidelines, the penalty was awarded. Dier kept his cool, stepped up, and converted—snatching a point for the French side and leaving City frustrated.
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Pep Guardiola, when asked about the incident, argued that Gonzalez got the ball first and had no intention of fouling. Haaland himself admitted he hadn’t seen the replay but conceded that “if you kick someone in the face, it’s probably a penalty.” For many observers, though, it was City’s defending that looked sloppy and avoidable.
And this is where the real concern lies. Manchester City have now conceded a series of late goals in recent weeks. A stoppage-time strike against Tottenham, a late collapse against Brighton, another last-gasp equaliser against Arsenal, and now this. That’s five points dropped in domestic and European competition simply because they couldn’t hold on in the closing minutes.
The bigger picture doesn’t look great either. City haven’t won in their last five away games in Europe, and they are coming off a season where they failed to secure a major trophy. Guardiola insisted earlier in the week that he wasn’t worried about late goals—but after another setback like this, he may be forced to change his tune.
For Monaco, meanwhile, it was a night of resilience. They never stopped believing and capitalised on City’s defensive lapses to grab a draw that will feel almost like a victory. For City, it was another reminder that brilliance up front can’t always make up for weakness at the back.
As former Manchester United man Nicky Butt said after the game, “You wouldn’t panic—but it’s not normal to keep slipping like this.” City still have the talent to challenge for the biggest prizes, but unless they can tighten up defensively and finish games strongly, those prizes might once again stay out of reach.
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