Doku Seals Manchester City's Victory Over Napoli After Kevin De Bruyne's Premature Comeback Return
Pep Guardiola remarked on facing Napoli and welcoming back Kevin De Bruyne: “Some things are written in the stars.”
The Norwegian striker broke the deadlock with his fiftieth UCL goal in just forty-nine appearances, shattering Ruud van Nistelrooy's previous record of sixty-two games.
Thursday night's finish was the forward's 7th goal in 5 games, echoing his scoring run during Manchester City's historic 2022-23 season.
The visitors suffered a significant setback when skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo was given a straight red after just 21 minutes for a challenge on Haaland.
Despite fielding former players like Scott McTominay, Højlund, and the playmaker, Napoli found it tough after going down to 10 men.
De Bruyne was substituted after just 25 minutes, earning a warm applause from the home crowd.
Doku wrapped up the result with a individual effort that was reminiscent to Villa's famous 1981 Wembley final wonder goal.
During the game, Napoli's shot-stopper Milinkovic-Savic put in a brave performance, making several important saves to keep the result from escalating.
Manchester City dominated possession and created numerous opportunities, ending the first half with a 16-1 attempt advantage.
After the break, the striker doubled the hosts' lead with a clinical finish from a Phil Foden delivery.
Doku then added a second strike after a dazzling run that left multiple opponents in his wake.
Pep Guardiola’s side saw out the game comfortably to secure a commanding 2-0 victory in the European competition.
