Goals; 2/2
Line Up (4-2-3-1); Hart, Sagna, Mangala, Otamendi, Clichy, Fernando, Fernandinho, Navas, KDB, Silva Aguero
Stats Possession 67%/33%; Shots 16/11;
Since City’s last outing in the Champions league, we’ve seen both sides of Pellegrini’s men. With a frustrating error ridden display against the rags which also saw Hart get injured, followed by the return of Kevin De Bruyne from his injury lay off picking up exactly where he left off in the thrashing of Bournemouth. So in City’s biggest ever Champions league bout, were we to get the Jekyll or the Hyde? In a season plagued by injuries it was City’s big Ivorian talisman’s turn for the treatment table and having proven just how vital he still is to the club on the big occasions, Pellegrini had to fill those boots and our ginger Kev did just that.
Prior to the match everyone had written off City’s chances (as per usual), but this definitely suits the City mantra. If we gave them a go, that’s all the City faithful were after. Gave them a go we certainly did. As per usual in the Champions League, City got out of the blocks early, harassing the Parisians and turning their defence inside the first 30 seconds which led to Sergio drawing a foul and a yellow card for Sideshow Bo.. I mean David Luiz. Two minutes later City were in behind again with Fernandihno gaining a bit of luck with his pass ricocheting off Cavani into the path of Navas who drew an early corner from his driven cross. Exactly the start we were after, directness, pressure, high tempo.
If our attacking play was our Angelina Jolie, our defence unsurprisingly showed glimpses of Susan Boyle. Otamendi attempting to channel his inner Zidane and carry the ball through the midfield only for his attempted pass to be intercepted leaving Cavani to play Matuidi in behind. Mangala scrambles back to cover his partner’s error and manages to put his French compatriot off enough for him to scramble his legs and fall to the deck. Irate PSG players swarm the referee claiming a penalty, despite our best friend Rio also claiming it was a penalty, when Howard Webb is on your side you know there must be some sense in the world. Nevertheless, a let off for Otamendi who could have got his teammate in much more trouble.
Still, this wouldn’t be a City match without more penalty drama. This time (obviously) it was Luiz who searched for contact with his trailing leg as Sagna came to close down the Brazilian who went down as quickly as his 50 million value. Penalty given. Again, everyone stating that this was not a penalty. Ibrahimovic steps up and Hart played his customary mind games by making the Swedish icon wait as he took his time behind the goal. Hart continued to smile at Ligue 1’s leading scorer as he stepped up and emphatically dived correctly to his right and palmed the penalty behind for a corner. Justice.
The first half continued to see PSG with the most possession but the midfield rocks of Fernando and Fernandinho were not giving them any room to exploit our shaky defence. It was City’s turn next to have an attempt on goal as Navas picks up the ball on the wing and plays an inch perfect cross to David Silva at the back post who just couldn’t direct his header towards goal.
This discipline got its reward on the 37’ as Fernando intercepts a wayward pass from Matuidi and recycles the ball to a charging Fernandinho who lays it into the path of De Bruyne. With only had thing in mind, one touch out his feet the Belgian drives the ball past Trapp and the net bulges. 0-1 City! De Bruyne once again proving just how much we have missed his eye for goal since his absence.
But of course, with every moment of excellence, we have a moment of absolute catastrophe. The blame has been passed between both Hart and Fernando for this one, but I think they were both as bad as each other. Without going into too much detail because you just have to see it to believe it. Never play a short goal kick into the centre of the goal. Don’t turn into the striker’s path with the ball. If in doubt, get rid. All of which you hear shouted from the sideline at every Sunday league game up and down the country. This time it was the Champions League Quarter-Final where it was needed. I can’t even begin to describe it. Let’s move on. 1-1 at half time.
The second half continued in the same manner as the first, PSG continued to dominate possession, but hardly troubled Joe Hart’s goal. It wasn’t until the 58’ that Maxwell got in behind Sagna to whip the ball into the City box but Mangala was there to sweep the ball behind for a corner. Unfortunately, it was the resulting corner that met the head of Cavani at the near post which Hart could only parry into the path of Rabiot who simply tucks the ball into the net at the far post at the expense of a helpless Hart, 2-1. This is where I’d like to give a special mention to the official’s behind the goal proving their undeniable worth by not spotting that Ibrahimović was in an offside position and interfering with play for this equaliser. Do we expect any different?
In the resulting minutes after the goal it seemed City may have run their course as PSG piled on the pressure as Ibra hit the bar on 62’ with a looping header. However, it was the City in the Champions League who fight to the end, who waited for the right moment to strike. Silva dispossessed Aurier on 71’ and played the ball into KDB and then to Navas. The Spaniard quickly shifts the ball into the path of a marauding Sagna who fizzed the ball across the six yard box and with a bit of fortunate pinball in the box, fell to Fernandinho who powers the ball through Thiago Silva and into the bottom corner of the net. 2-2!
Based on my own experience of last night, there was not a single bum on chair for the remaining 20 minutes of the first-leg. Delph replaced KDB and sured up the midfield as City saw it over the half way point with the match finishing 2-2 and City having two away goals to sit on. Taking the Premier League out of the equation. This was another tactical masterclass from Pellegrini, once again flexing his eye for the perfect away performance i the competition. Special mention to Eliaquim Mangala, who lived up to his pre-match comments and produced a fine defensive display, digging Otamendi out of trouble on a number of occasions. Hart and the Ferna twins (despite the one comical error that I will attempt to erase from memory) were also outstanding. Six days until a truly historic experience for all blues around the world.
@PatrickElano
