A late goal from the super-sub Gabriel Jesus secured Manchester City’s place in the last 16 and the top of Group A.
Last night two European powerhouses clashed in one of the classic UEFA Champions League encounters in a jam-packed Etihad stadium. On a chilly night, Man City turned up the heart with their relentless attacking threat. When the likes of Messi, Neymar and Mbappe struggle to string up a few passes, it is safe to say that the opposing defence has brought their A-game. As the Sky Blues started to raise the tempo, the Cityzens made their presence felt in the Etihad Stadium. The electrifying atmosphere was filled with the chants for the home team. Man City came close on several occasions however PSG kept the score line at bay. Gundogan came closest to open Manchester City’s account as his shot deflected wide after hitting the crossbar. Man City dominated the majority of the first half. PSG had a single clear cut chance as Mbappe skyrocketed his shot in a search for the correct measurements for finding the top right corner.
Second Half
In the opening minutes of the second half, PSG silenced the Etihad Stadium. Mbappe drilled the ball through the legs of Ederson to give PSG the lead against the run of the play. A feeling of De Ja Vu started to engulf the players, fans and even the manager Pep Guardiola. The wounds suffered by City in Paris were still fresh. Another defeat in such a manner could have left an uncertainty of being incapable to score in crucial games in the City camp. Yet, City held their heads high a single goal changed the whole dimension of the fixture. The game was more open, not depending on the tactics of the managers. Each move depended solely on the imagination of the players. Both teams started to go straight for attack rather than just a single team holding possession in their opponent’s half. From attack to defence the flow of the gameplay of each team shifted rapidly with each misplaced pass, interception or tackle.
In a blink of an eye, either Man City or PSG carried on with the attacking threat to each other. On the 63rd minute mark, Raheem Sterling popped out of nowhere to restore the balance of the game. Kyle Walker galloped from halfway into PSG’s box to find Raheem Sterling who found the back of the net. With the scoreline level, Man City players grew more in confidence. Riyad Mahrez who enjoyed acres of space throughout the game produced a delightful cross to find Bernardo who laid the ball in the path of Jesus with a feather touch. The Brazilian striker made no mistake to seal off the game as Etihad erupted with a roar of joy.
PSG tried to rally up once again but in the end, they couldn’t find anything to show for the efforts they put in. A night and a victory will surely go down to take its place in the history books as a successful night for Manchester City.
