Super Eagles midfielder, Raphael Onyedika, scored his first-ever UEFA Champions League goal for Club Brugges who lost 3-1 away at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
The highly rated Nigerian midfielder gave the Belgians a shock lead when he calmly finished off Ferran Jutgla’s cross just before half-time.
City needed a response with tension mounting, duly providing it against a Belgian side who showed enough to fully deserve their place in the play-offs.
Mateo Kovacic drove low past former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet eight minutes after the break before Joel Ordonez turned Josko Gvardiol’s cross into his own net as City finally exerted a measure of control.
City settled nerves even more when Savinho scored with a low shot that crept in past Mignolet at his near post as Guardiola was finally able to contemplate further progress in the competition Manchester City won in 2023.
The win seals Manchester City’s spot in the play-offs of the Champions League as well as Club Brugge, with a two-legged playoff tie to come against an opponent to be decided on Friday.
It also means that Pep Guardiola maintains his record of progressing from the opening stage of the competition in every year of his managerial career.
