Phil Foden scored a hat-trick as Manchester City defeated Greek champions AEK Athens 5-1 in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, delivering an impressive performance despite the absence of key attacking players.
The England international scored three times at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, helping Enzo Maresca's side secure their second victory of the competition's league phase.
Elliot Anderson and Rayan Cherki also scored for City, while Stavros Pilios registered AEK Athens' only goal.
The result provided a timely response from the English club following their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the previous round of Champions League fixtures.
City entered the match without Antoine Semenyo, who was sidelined through injury, while leading striker Erling Haaland was not included in the starting lineup and remained an unused substitute.
Despite those absences, the hosts controlled much of the contest and created numerous opportunities against their Greek opponents.
Anderson opened the scoring in the 12th minute, reacting quickest after an Enzo Fernández free-kick struck the crossbar.
The midfielder converted the rebound to register his first goal for Manchester City since joining the club during the summer transfer window.
Foden doubled City's advantage in the 34th minute following a combination with Rico Lewis.
The academy graduate finished the move to give his team a two-goal lead heading into half-time.
AEK Athens briefly threatened a comeback early in the second half when Pilios reduced the deficit in the 52nd minute.
The goal followed a period in which the visitors attempted to establish a stronger attacking presence after struggling to create clear opportunities during the opening 45 minutes.
However, City restored their two-goal advantage just five minutes later.
Cherki received a pass from Foden, moved the ball onto his left foot and finished in the 57th minute to make the score 3-1.
The goal effectively ended AEK's brief revival and allowed the home side to regain control of proceedings.
Foden then scored his second goal in the 65th minute, extending City's lead to 4-1.
He completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, converting from close range after substitute Ryan McAidoo delivered a low cross into the penalty area.
The three goals marked Foden's first hat-trick since April 2024 and continued his return to scoring form after a difficult period.
Before scoring against Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday, the midfielder had endured a lengthy spell without a goal.
His performances against Ipswich and AEK Athens produced four goals across two consecutive matches, offering encouragement to City supporters and the coaching staff.
Foden also contributed an assist against the Greek side, providing the pass for Cherki's second-half goal.
His involvement in four of City's five goals made him the central figure in the victory.
Maresca praised the England international after the match, expressing satisfaction with both his individual performance and the additional attacking options available to the team.
“It is good news for me because you know he is doing well and this is what we want for many reasons,” the City manager said.
“First of all, because he is a top player and we know that. Happy for him, but also happy for the team that we have one more weapon that we can use.”
The manager's comments reflected the importance of having several players capable of contributing goals, particularly during a demanding period of domestic and European fixtures.
Haaland's absence from the starting lineup had raised questions about how City would perform without their established centre-forward.
However, Maresca adjusted his attacking setup, giving young forward Floyd Samba an opportunity to feature in the Champions League.
Foden initially operated from the left before taking up a more central attacking role as the match progressed.
The tactical adjustment allowed City to maintain their attacking threat without relying exclusively on a traditional striker.
Rico Lewis also made an important contribution, providing assists for Foden's first two goals.
Meanwhile, Anderson's opening strike and Cherki's second-half finish demonstrated the variety of City's attacking options.
The victory was significant for City's European campaign after their earlier defeat to PSG had placed additional pressure on the team to respond.
With three goals and an assist, Foden delivered a performance that could strengthen his claim for more regular involvement in Maresca's starting lineup.
The display may also attract attention from England manager Thomas Tuchel as preparations continue for the national team's forthcoming international fixtures.
Foden has experienced competition for places at club and international level, making sustained performances important as he seeks to re-establish himself.
For AEK Athens, the defeat highlighted the difficulty of competing against opponents with City's technical quality and attacking depth.
Although Pilios briefly brought the visitors back into contention, they were unable to maintain the momentum after scoring.
City's rapid response through Cherki ensured that the Greek side could not build on its early second-half improvement.
The English club ultimately secured a comfortable victory, scoring five goals despite the absence of several established attacking options.
The result also marked Manchester City's 150th appearance in the Champions League, providing an additional milestone for the club.
Attention will now turn to City's upcoming domestic and European fixtures as Maresca seeks to build on the performance.
For Foden, the match represented a notable individual achievement and an opportunity to regain momentum after a challenging spell.
His hat-trick was the decisive contribution in a result that strengthened Manchester City's Champions League campaign and demonstrated the team's ability to score freely without Haaland leading the attack.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments