MANCHESTER, England, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki struck before halftime to secure a Champions League place in the last 16 for their side in a 2-0 victory over Galatasaray on Wednesday.
Pep Guardiola's side claimed eighth spot with 16 points in the eight-game league phase to just avoid the two-legged playoffs and advance directly to the last 16 for a precious slice of breathing room in a packed fixture schedule.
Galatasaray ended 20th on 10 points and go into the playoffs.
Haaland headed an early chance wide but made up for it in the 11th minute when Jeremy Doku delivered a perfect ball to put him one-on-one with Ugurcan Cakir. The Norwegian chipped the ball over the keeper for his first open-play goal in 10 games.
Doku also provided the assist for Cherki's goal when he drew two defenders before laying the ball back for the Frenchman, who took a touch before slotting it home in the 29th minute.
Doku went off with a calf injury soon afterwards to a standing ovation.
City were coming off a shock 3-1 defeat at Bodo/Glimt last week that left them 11th and needing a win to have a chance of claiming a top-eight spot.
"We are happy, just very happy because we wanted to qualify in the top eight. With a bit of drama, we did it," Bernardo Silva said. "Overall very happy because we avoid two games. With the schedule it's really important to do that. We need also to recover some players to arrive in the last months of the season."
Haaland's goal was his seventh in eight Champions League games and his 56th in 56 appearances in Europe's elite club competition. He is now joint-eighth on the all-time scorers list alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy, who netted 56 times in 73 games.
Haaland missed a late chance which would have been a stunning strike when he flew in with an outstretched leg but failed to connect with Phil Foden's cross into the six-yard box.
City controlled long stretches of the match and squandered numerous chances. Nico O'Reilly launched a rocket in the first half that Cakir tipped over. The keeper also saved a close-range shot from an unmarked Omar Marmoush in the second half.
Despite Galatasaray's spirited second-half response, City's much-needed victory - the fifth win of the campaign for the 2023 Champions League winners - never felt in doubt.
"The second half we played more up the pitch, we pressed our opponent and kept the ball. In an away game against Manchester City, we were happy with this," said Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk. "It was a beautiful game, two teams playing beautiful football. I would like to congratulate both teams' players."
After the final whistle, fans at Etihad Stadium peered at their phones as a late goal from Real Madrid in their game against Benfica would have knocked City down to ninth. A rousing cheer went up when instead Benfica's goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored in the 98th minute for a 4-2 victory.
"I like (the new Champions League format)," Guardiola said. "I don't like that there's more games but I like it, every game is like a final."
Guardiola was without new signings Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi as they are ineligible for Champions League action until the knockout stages, while key midfielder Rodri was suspended following his red card at Bodo/Glimt.
He said Doku would likely miss Sunday's Premier League game at Tottenham Hotspur.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris and Clare Fallon)
