August 24, 2026 | 10:06 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Manchester City came from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, August 23, in their opening match of the 2026/27 Premier League season, with late goals from Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol rescuing the hosts from a potentially costly defeat.
According to ESPN, Bournemouth took the lead through Marcus Tavernier in the 26th minute before Guehi equalized with a header in the 84th minute. Gvardiol then completed the comeback in the second minute of stoppage time after a lengthy VAR review confirmed his goal.
The victory gave Manchester City three points and put them sixth in the provisional Premier League standings, while Bournemouth remained 13th, according to the Premier League website.
City dominated possession early on but struggled to turn their control into clear-cut opportunities. Bournemouth, meanwhile, looked dangerous on the counterattack and made the most of one of their chances in the first half.
Tavernier opened the scoring in the 27th minute after Evanilson delivered a cut-back from the right. Tavernier finished the move to give Bournemouth a 1-0 lead.
City immediately sought a response, with Erling Haaland coming close with a header that Bournemouth goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic saved.
The hosts continued to press after halftime but repeatedly struggled with their finishing. Haaland had another opportunity in the 75th minute when he met a cut-back from Guehi, but his effort went straight at Petrovic.
City finally found their breakthrough nine minutes later.
Guehi, who was deployed further forward than his usual center-back role amid City's midfield shortage, rose to meet a corner and headed the ball into the net to make it 1-1.
City were only six minutes away from suffering defeat before completing the turnaround.
Rayan Cherki then threaded a pass into the penalty area in stoppage time, where Gvardiol bundled the ball home to put City ahead. The goal initially required a lengthy VAR review before it was confirmed, triggering celebrations among the home side.
As reported by Antara, Bournemouth were unable to find an equalizer before the final whistle, allowing City to begin their league campaign with three points.
The result also spared new City manager Enzo Maresca from a second consecutive defeat after his team lost 3-0 to Arsenal in the Community Shield.
Maresca, who replaced Pep Guardiola at City, faced an apparent shortage of midfield options following the departures of Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders, with Elliot Anderson among the club's additions.
Erling Haaland's New Look
Erling Haaland, meanwhile, endured a frustrating evening in front of goal. The Norway international missed several opportunities, including a close-range volley and the second-half effort saved by Petrovic.
The striker also attracted attention before kickoff because of a dramatic change in appearance. Known for his long blond hair, Haaland arrived at the Etihad wearing a cap but revealed a new buzz cut during the warm-up.
The hairstyle quickly became a talking point on social media. According to ESPN, former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic jokingly asked Haaland whether he had "lost a bet" after seeing the new look.
Former City manager Guardiola also reacted humorously, saying: "You're lucky to have hair. I would love to have it!"
Even Opta Analyst, a digital sports media platform and publication, commented on Haaland's new look on their Instagram post.
"This is the first time that Erling Haaland's failed to score in his first appearance of a Premier League season. He had long hair in the previous four seasons. Is Haaland the modern day Samson?!" stated the post.
Despite Haaland's struggles, City's late rally ensured that Maresca avoided starting his Premier League tenure with a defeat and gave the hosts a dramatic opening-day victory.
Erling Haaland Unveils Buzz Cut Ahead of New Premier League Season
2 jam lalu
Erling Haaland unveils a buzz cut after ditching his trademark long hair, drawing reactions ahead of Manchester City's new Premier League season.
How Arsenal Beats Manchester City to Community Shied Title
6 hari lalu
Arsenal kicked off their 2026/2027 season with a Community Shield title after thrashing Manchester City 3-0 at Principality Stadium.
Enzo Maresca Rejects Copying Pep Guardiola at Manchester City
29 hari lalu
Enzo Maresca emphasized that he will not simply imitate Pep Guardiola's style after being appointed as Manchester City's new manager.
Pep Guardiola in Talks as New Italy Coach, Will He Accept the Role?
31 hari lalu
After Gattuso's exit, Italy is now on the hunt for a new head coach for the Azzurri. Pep Guardiola is among the primary candidates.
Erling Haaland's Net Worth in 2026: Salary, Contracts, Brand Deals
48 hari lalu
Erling Haaland's net worth is inevitably massive from a combination of heavy paychecks, lucrative contracts, and rewarding brand deals.
Robertson: Liverpool Could Have Won More Titles Without Guardiola
25 Mei 2026
Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson said his team could have won more Premier League titles without Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
English Premier League Final Standings for the 2025/2026 Season
25 Mei 2026
The 2025/26 English Premier League season concludes with Arsenal taking the title and Manchester City finishing second.
Erling Haaland Claims 2025/26 Premier League Golden Boot
25 Mei 2026
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland won the 2025/26 Premier League Golden Boot after finishing the season with 27 goals.
Manchester City Lose 2-1 vs. Aston Villa in Pep Guardiola's Farewell Match
25 Mei 2026
Coach Pep Guardiola's final match in charge of Manchester City ended in defeat. The Citizens lost 1-2 to Aston Villa in Week 38.
Man City to Build Guardiola Statue, Rename Stand in His Honour
23 Mei 2026
The decision to create the statue follows the end of Guardiola's spell at the Etihad Stadium at the end of the current season.
