Mateo Kovacic helped Manchester City puncture any new-season optimism at Stamford Bridge by landing the killer blow near the end of Sunday’s 2-0 win over Chelsea.
The reigning Premier League champions led through Erling Haaland’s first-half strike but had to withstand some pressure to maintain their lead. However, with around six minutes of normal time remaining, Kovacic ended his former club’s hopes of getting a result from its season opener with an impressive individual effort.
The Croatian midfielder collected a loose ball after some sloppy passing by the Chelsea backline before rushing toward the edge of the box and scoring with a clever near-post shot.