Manchester City came from behind with two late goals to defeat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, handing Enzo Maresca victory in his first Premier League match in charge.
Bournemouth appeared on course for a memorable opening-day victory after Marcus Tavernier put the visitors ahead in the 26th minute.
Tavernier was left unmarked inside the area before firing home following Evanilson’s low cross, giving Bournemouth a 1-0 lead at half-time.
Manchester City struggled to find their rhythm for much of the match, while Erling Haaland endured a frustrating afternoon in front of goal. The Norwegian missed all five of his chances as Bournemouth defended their advantage.
City finally found a breakthrough in the 84th minute when Marc Guehi, deployed in defensive midfield, headed Rayan Cherki’s corner into the net to level the score.
The hosts completed the comeback deep into stoppage time when Josko Gvardiol guided a shot into the bottom corner.
The goal was initially ruled out for offside but was awarded after a VAR review, sending the Etihad Stadium into celebration.
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The victory marked a major relief for Maresca in his first league game since succeeding Pep Guardiola, who had led Manchester City for the previous decade.
City had also started the match under pressure following their 3-0 defeat by Arsenal in last Sunday’s Community Shield.
The result ended Bournemouth’s club-record 18-match unbeaten run, with the Cherries suffering their first defeat in any competition since January.
Despite the loss, Bournemouth showed attacking quality under new manager Marco Rose, with Evanilson, Tavernier and Rayan linking effectively on the counter-attack.
Manchester City’s late comeback secured all three points, while Rayan Cherki was named player of the match after another influential performance.
The victory gives Maresca a winning start to his Premier League tenure, although City will know there is still plenty to improve after a difficult opening-day performance.
