Foden, Haaland on target as Manchester City beat Dortmund 4-1

Phil Foden scored twice and Erling Haaland netted against his former club as Manchester City brushed aside Borussia Dortmund to strengthen their position in the group stage of the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola’s men remain unbeaten in their opening four matches, and the win moved them up to fourth in the table, with the top eight sides qualifying automatically for the last 16.

Nico Kovac’s Dortmund side started brightly but faded as the hosts scored twice in seven first-half minutes to take control of the contest.

Foden was impressive throughout, testing the hands of Gregor Kobel with a powerful strike from outside the box, before a curling free-kick went straight into the goalkeeper’s hands.

It was third time lucky for the Englishman in the 22nd minute. Picking the ball up outside the box, Foden found space as the Dortmund defenders stood off and rolled a delightful finish low into the bottom corner.

It was his first Champions League goal in exactly a year, after scoring in a 4-1 defeat to Sporting in last season’s competition.

City then attacked at will, with Kobel tipping over a close-range effort from Nico O’Reilly before Haaland thumped home a cutback from Jeremy Doku in the 29th minute.

Kobel was kept busy, turning away a thunderous drive from Tijjani Reijnders. But City pushed on after the restart, and Foden doubled his tally in the 57th minute with a curled finish for his second goal.

Dortmund, who are 14th in the Bundesliga, staged a late rally, with Waldemar Anton poking home a consolation from a Julian Ryerson cross.

However, substitute Rayan Cherki restored City’s three-goal advantage in added time with a lovely run and neat finish.