Foden hits four-goal hand in City rout
On.cc · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Manchester City cruised to a 5-1 home win over AEK Athens in the Champions League in the early hours of Wednesday, with Phil Foden delivering the standout performance through three goals and one assist. City were without Erling Haaland and winger Anthony Simaen because of injuries, but still had too much quality for the Greek side. The result also featured the first Manchester City goal for midfielder Elilo Anderson, whose transfer fee was reported at £116 million. Yet the scale of the victory was tempered by an awkward backdrop, as the Etihad had only around two-thirds occupancy
Key Points
- City manager Maresca started 17-year-old Cody Samba up front because Haaland and Anthony Simaen were both unavailable through injury
- In the 12th minute, Enzo Fernandez struck the bar from a free-kick before Elilo Anderson converted the rebound for his first City goal
- Foden then took over, scoring from close range before later setting up Cherki to make it 3-1 after AEK Athens had pulled one back
- The England international added two more goals to complete his hat-trick, becoming the sixth Manchester City player to score a Champions League treble
- Despite the 5-1 scoreline, only about 40,000 spectators attended a stadium that can hold 60,000, prompting online mockery
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong football fans who closely follow the Champions League, the match offered both a reminder of Manchester City's attacking depth and a talking point about supporter demand for less glamorous fixtures. The contrast between a dominant European performance and visible empty seats may also shape attention on City's next two home games against Brighton in the League Cup and Premier League, which Maresca said he expects to be sell-outs