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Security intervenes as Man City beat Porto in heated UCL match
Published : Wednesday, 9 September, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
Erling Haaland scored a second-half double as Manchester City opened their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over FC Porto at the Estádio do Dragão, capping a fiery encounter marked by on-field clashes and a halftime tunnel altercation that required security intervention.
The atmosphere escalated late in the first half following an aerial duel between City defender Marc Guéhi and Porto midfielder Gabri Veiga.
Porto players vociferously claimed that Guéhi caught Veiga with an elbow during the challenge, requiring on-pitch medical treatment for the Spanish midfielder.
When the referee opted against issuing a card to Guéhi, tempers flared among the Porto squad, triggering heated arguments between opposing players that continued past the halftime whistle.
Chaos spilled into the tunnel as the teams headed to the dressing rooms.
Players and support staff engaged in pushing and shoving, prompting stadium security personnel to physically intervene and position themselves between the two sides to prevent a full-scale melee.
During the confrontation, Manchester City captain Rúben Dias was seen involved in a heated exchange with a Porto official.
Despite the halftime turmoil, Manchester City refocused quickly.
Just 94 seconds into the second half, Enzo Fernández delivered a precise cross following setup work by Rayan Cherki, allowing Haaland to power a header past Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa in the 47th minute.
Costa kept Porto in the match during the first half by denying several scoring opportunities, including a header and a low drive from Phil Foden, alongside a volley from Haaland.
Porto attempted to respond after falling behind, with Pepe and Alberto Oliveira missing header chances and Alan Varela sending a long-range effort wide.
City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his backline held firm to maintain the clean sheet.
Haaland sealed the victory in stoppage time (90+1'), tapping home a low cutback from substitute Rayan Aït-Nouri to eliminate any remaining hopes of a Porto comeback.
Tempers flared once more near the final whistle following a reckless tackle on Haaland by Pablo Rosario.
The incident resulted in yellow cards for both players, while Porto head coach Francesco Farioli also received a caution from the referee.
The 2-0 victory marks a successful European campaign opener for manager Enzo Maresca, securing three points away from home despite the intense physical and emotional challenges on the pitch.
-SA
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
