Manchester City bounced back from their shock Premier League defeat at Norwich by launching their Champions League campaign in style with a deserved victory at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Humbled at Carrow Road on Saturday evening, the English champions were imperious in Ukraine against an initially tenacious, but ultimately inferior, opponent.
Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring midway through the first half, firing into a largely empty net after Ilkay Gundogan’s curling shot came back off the post.
Mahrez then turned provider for the onrushing German to toe-poke the ball past the helpless Andriy Pyatov and give the visitors a firm grip on the game – a grip they did not relinquish.
After spurning a number of good opportunities, including an untypically forgiving close-range effort from Raheem Sterling that struck the post, Gabriel Jesus gave the one-sided game a more fitting scoreline with a neat finish after Kevin de Bruyne’s pass.
Only Dinamo Zagreb’s 4-0 hammering of Italian side Atalanta in Croatia prevents Pep Guardiola’s side topping the group.
City provide perfect riposte
City’s 3-2 defeat by Norwich left them five points behind leaders Liverpool (the side they pipped to last season’s title) with just five games played.
But they have the start they wanted in the Champions League – the only trophy Guardiola has yet to deliver to the Etihad – after arguably the toughest game of a group from which they are favourites to qualify.
There was little of the apprehensive defending on display in Norfolk and a far greater level of fluency and attacking verve as the home side’s largely counter-attacking attempts were regularly repelled and their defence repeatedly unpicked.
Restored to the starting XI, De Bruyne was full of intelligent runs and passes to match, while the direct and pacy trio of Mahrez, Sterling and Jesus (who scored three against the same opponent in a 6-0 win last November) terrorised the home back four.
But for some wayward finishing, City could well have matched the scoreline they racked up against Shakhtar in that game at the Etihad a little under a year ago.
Regardless, City’s recent dominance over a side who are their regular Champions League opponents continues, with this their fourth win in five encounters, the only defeat of which came in a dead rubber at the end of the group stage in 2017-18.
Fernandinho untroubled at the back
City have been plunged into something of a defensive injury crisis of late as a result of the muscle injury that has consigned John Stones to a spell on the sidelines alongside fellow centre-back Aymeric Laporte, who is out until the new year.
In their absence, Fernandinho – a midfielder by trade but long touted as a potential central defender by Guardiola – made the short move into the back four in Ukraine, alongside Nicolas Otamendi.
If, as expected, the Brazilian is to be the man to deputise at the back (and he hinted as much after the game by admitting he had been training as a defender since the start of the season), he will have sterner tests than this, but what he was required to do, he did well.
Two interceptions, two solid headers won and a passing accuracy of 90% make for a quietly efficient night.
Shakhtar’s best opportunities fell to Junior Moraes, but after three times finding himself with just Edersen to beat he first struck the Brazilian’s chest with a shot, then missed the ball completely with an attempted flick finish before floating a lob harmlessly off target after the City keeper had rushed out of his box.
They sent on wily and capable Ukraine international Yevhen Konoplyanka and Brazilians Marcos Antonio and Dentinho but to zero alteration to the flow of the game.
Meanwhile, City were able to give Benjamin Mendy a first run-out of the season and some minutes to Joao Cancelo – a clear indication that while they currently lack depth in some defensive areas they are spoilt for choice in others.
Man of the match – Kevin de Bruyne (Man City)
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶
Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.
The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.
And the big question now is:
Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂
Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.
One X user joked:
“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”
Another simply said:
“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”
But then came “Lembe.” 🔥
The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.
Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.
And it didn’t stop there.
‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED
On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.
One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.
From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.
Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:
Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥
So, let’s settle this once and for all:
Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?
Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇
RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.
Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.
Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.
For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.
Entertainment Gists
Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype
If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.
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