Related items

• Julian Alvarez strike helps Manchester City overcome stubborn RB Leipzig

  Manchester City struck twice late on to continue the winning start to their Champions League defence with a hard-fought 3-1 success at RB Leipzig.

  Julian Alvarez finally settled City’s nerves in Wednesday’s Group G encounter with a fine strike six minutes from at the Red Bull Arena before fellow substitute Jeremy Doku wrapped up the win.

  Phil Foden had opened the scoring midway through a first half the holders dominated but the hosts responded against the run of play through Lois Openda.

  Foden hit the woodwork as City pushed for a winner but, with Erling Haaland faltering in front of goal, it looked like being a frustrating night until Alvarez struck.

  That City would need such late heroics from the bench seemed unlikely as they controlled the first half.

  The presence of Rodri, who is currently serving a domestic ban, brought a noticeable calm that was missing in his absence in Saturday’s defeat at Wolves.

  Yet it was Rico Lewis, playing alongside him in midfield, who caught the eye with his determination to win possession and some driving runs.

  Lewis had City’s first serious opportunity after a nice turn in the area but his shot was blocked. Foden drove the ball back across goal from the rebound but Bernardo Silva, returning to the side after injury, failed to turn it in at the far post.

  City’s opener came after 25 minutes from another attack instigated by Lewis. The lively youngster pushed forward and played a one-two with Silva before pulling back for Foden in the area.

  The England international met it with a first-time shot that bounced beyond Janis Blaswich.

  City pushed for a second before the break, with Haaland twice breaking free on the left but the Norwegian first shot wide and was then denied by Blaswich.

  It was not until the final minute of the first half that Leipzig had an effort on goal when Openda’s long-range shot was deflected over and City reached the break looking completely untroubled.

  All their good work was undone within moments of the restart as Jack Grealish misplaced a pass and they were caught by a Leipzig counter-attack.

  Yussuf Poulsen released Openda with a pass from the centre circle and the Belgium international raced through to beat Ederson with a low shot that went in off the base of the post.

  Haaland threatened to restore City’s lead when he fired wide and then spurned an even better chance when he missed the target from a Foden cross.

  Foden went closer when he curled a free-kick against the bar from a wide angle but Haaland’s frustration continued as he shot at Blaswich and skewed another effort over.

  City were caught on the break again but were reprieved when Emil Forsberg failed to find a colleague in the box and Ederson needed to punch clear after substitute Timo Werner broke free.

  Pep Guardiola’s changes made the difference as Doku teed up Alvarez to clip a fine shot over Blaswich from the edge of the area.

  Doku then put the seal on victory when he finished off a quick break in injury time as Leipzig paid the price for pushing players forward.

• Crysencio Summerville gets Leeds back on track against QPR

  Crysencio Summerville’s early goal ensured Leeds returned to winning ways in the Championship with a 1-0 victory over QPR at Elland Road.

  The first half seemed too easy for the hosts who were looking to make it consecutive home wins for the first time this season and had their opener inside 10 minutes thanks to Summerville.

  The Whites missed a handful of chances in the second period through Patrick Bamford, Dan James and Pascal Struijk but held on to register their second home success of the campaign after goalkeeper Asmir Begovic was sent off in stoppage time.

  Leeds opened the scoring in the ninth minute when QPR were dispossessed in the middle of the park and Georginio Rutter slid through to Summerville who lifted over Begovic.

  Daniel Farke’s side were aiming to bounce back from their 3-1 defeat to Southampton at the weekend and they sensed blood in the early stages of the encounter – Summerville’s inswinging corner met the head of Liam Cooper who nodded just wide.

  QPR were struggling for form and it showed in the opening quarter of the match. Leeds could have had another when Rutter set up Summerville for a second time but his effort was somehow blocked behind.

  The visitors failed to make any impression in the first 45 but had their first sight of goal when Sinclair Armstrong raced through but his cross-shot ran comfortably out of play.

  With just a one-goal margin, there was a shift in the atmosphere around the ground and QPR registered their first shot on target in the 66th minute when space opened up for Ilias Chair but his effort from 20 yards was pouched by Illan Meslier.

  Substitutes Bamford and James provided some impetus off the bench and Leeds could have had a second, though the latter’s deflected shot was saved easily by Begovic with 15 minutes to play.

  Two minutes later Bamford latched on to Rutter’s long ball forward before his first-time effort was parried behind as Leeds looked to turn the screw.

  Leeds enjoyed their best spell of the game towards the end of the second half and moments after James’ goal-bound deflected cross was turned behind by Begovic, they ought to have scored again but Struijk somehow blazed over from three yards following a corner.

  Leeds’ slender lead remained precarious and QPR almost made them pay with two minutes left when Jimmy Dunne knocked a long ball on to the onrushing boot of Lyndon Dykes but Meslier was on hand to keep the hosts’ clean sheet intact.

  QPR were reduced to 10 men after Begovic brought last man Bamford down outside the area with the goal at his mercy and Dykes was forced to take the goalkeepers’ gloves for stoppage time, which Leeds saw out to move into the play-off places.

• Boreham Wood beat Hartlepool to end winless run

  Lee Ndlovu’s strike and several incredible saves from Nathan Ashmore helped Boreham Wood end a four-match winless run in the National League as they edged out Hartlepool 1-0.

  Ashmore was at full stretch to keep out Tom Crawford’s strike and stop Hartlepool from going ahead early on, while at the other end the hosts had a goal disallowed for offside from Erico Sousa’s free-kick.

  Emmanuel Dieseruvwe forced Ashmore into another save on the half-hour mark while Ndlovu came close to giving Wood the lead as his turn and shot whistled past a post just before half-time.

  Ashmore produced another spectacular save from Josh Umerah’s thunderbolt from distance before Ndlovu broke the deadlock with 12 minutes remaining after turning his defender, racing through on goal and calmly slotting past Hartlepool goalkeeper Pete Jameson.

  But the Wood still needed another vital intervention from Ashmore to preserve their first win since September 16 as he denied Dieseruvwe from close range at his front post deep into added-on time.