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Pep Guardiola has started his next campaign for the “ears” cup at the helm of Manchester City. As expected, from the first seconds of the game, the “townspeople” tamed the ball to their feet and controlled the pace of the game. “Dragons” obediently agreed to the game’s proposed scenario and relied on counterattacks.
Spanish manager Man City made several castings before the game, compared to the fight against Arsenal on the final day of the Premier League. Oleksandr Zinchenko recovered and was included in the “neighbors” request for this match, but Guardiola chose instead of the Ukrainian to release right-hander João Canselo on the left flank of the defense.
In the 12th minute of the match, the guests surprised the “people of the town” – the hosts rolled the ball into their field, defender Rubén Dias made a mistake while passing in midfield, Portuguese winger Luis Díaz caught the ball , surpassed him as a City defender, burst into the penalty area and from under Kanselu to the far corner of Ederson’s goal – 1: 0! “Dragons” head coach Sergio Conceição clearly did not expect such a bumpy development and was emotionally happy near the bench.
The British immediately stepped forward, pressed high pressure, and advanced in great forces. And just 3 minutes later, the hosts carried out a prolonged attack, the result of which was Gundogan’s kick to the ‘dragons’ post. It looked like the attack was exhausted, but Pepe hit Sterling in the penalty area. The match referee, Andris Treimanis, immediately aimed at the point, but after a couple of moments he turned to the VAR, when Gundogan stepped on the foot of the invited goalkeeper in the saw of the fight. As a result, the referee did not change his decision to award a penalty, and Man City forward Sergio Agüero took the 11-meter shot and converted it, despite Marchesin hitting the corner and coming close to reflecting the Argentine’s shot.
Pep spent the entire time on his feet and actively directed the actions of his team, in particular the Spanish specialist was a mentor to “City” captain Raheem Sterling. Despite the total advantage of “Manchester City” in possession of the ball (70 to 30), the guests used their opportunities in a very rational way and made more shots in the first half of the match. The end of the first 45 minutes was played better by the “dragons”, the Conceisão halls pressed, received the hosts very well and had an excellent opportunity to go into halftime like the winners, but Kyle Walker cleared the ball out of the way! empty network!
“Citizens” actively started the second half, created several good chances, in particular Ilkay Gundogan hit dangerously from 15 meters, but the “dragons” goalkeeper Marchesin played with great confidence. Sergio Conceição did a good job in choosing a defensive model for this match: the guests were very compact when it came to defending their gates, and under pressure and overload from the British, Porto used double flanks.
“Manchester City” had absolute control over the game and a statistical superiority over an opponent – in the first 20 minutes of the second half, the “dragons” did not fire a single shot at Ederson’s goal. The total pressure on the result brought “citizen” results: Gundogan intercepted the ball and got a free kick near the Portuguese goal. The German himself promised to execute the standard position and in the 65th minute he implemented it gracefully.
After scoring the ball, Guardiola’s sentries smelled the “smell of blood”, they pounced on the door of the “dragons” with double force and after about eight minutes they doubled the advantage. The Spanish mentor’s double replacement worked: Foden shot Torres from the side, Ferran deciphered in the penalty area with Pepe and sent the ball into Porto’s goal in the fall. This goal marked the Spanish winger’s debut with the Citizens’ jersey in the Champions League.
In the end, everyone began to give up emotions, at first two captains Sterling and Pepe fought: the Portuguese received a yellow for unsportsmanlike behavior. A few moments later, a verbal skirmish ensued between the head coaches. The end of the match came without much severity: the “neighbors” cooled down, slowed down, were completely satisfied with the score, and the Portuguese had neither the strength nor the ideas to open the defense of the “City”. Conceisau’s team simply “ate” and the class was clearly inferior to that of England’s vice-champion.
The victorious aftertaste of “Manchester City” was spoiled by Fernandinho’s injury: the Brazilian entered the game badly, spent 7 minutes on the pitch and tore his thigh. Guardiola starts with victory in Quartet C and leads the group.
Champions League 2020/2021. Group stage. First round
October 14, 10:00 p.m.
England. Manchester. Etihad Stadium
Goals: Sergio Agüero 20 (penalty), Ilkay Gundogan 65, Ferran Torres 73 – Luis Díaz 14
City of Manchester: Ederson, Eric García, João Canselo, Ruben Dias, Walker, Bernardo Silva, Gundogan (67 – Foden), Marez, Rodri (85 – Fernandinho – 90 + 2 Stones), Sterling, Agüero (67 – Torres).
Coach: Pep Guardiola
Port: Marcesin, Mbemba, Pepe, Sarr (80 – Evanilson), Sanusi (77 – Nanu), Corona (77 – Taremi), Uribe, Diaz (55 – Manafa), Fabio Vieira (77 – Nakajima), Marega, Sergio Oliveira.
Coach: Sergio Conceizau
Referee: Andris Treimanis (Latvia)
