Aug 18, 2019 | szn0007
"IT’S THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I’M HAPPY TO SCORE HERE AGAINST CITY WITH MY FIRST TOUCH. IT’S UNBELIEVABLE!"
Lucas Moura
Manchester City VS Tottenham Hotspur:
Spurs Starting XI: Lloris (C), Walker-Peters, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Rose, Winks, Sissoko, Ndombele, Eriksen, Lamela, Kane.
Substitutes: Gazzaniga, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Skipp, Lo Celso, Lucas.
City Starting XI: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Gundogan, De Bruyne (C), Sterling, Bernardo, Aguero.
Substitutes: Bravo, Jesus, David Silva, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Cancelo, Foden.
Congratulations to Hugo Lloris and Danny Rose, who are competing in their 300th and 200th appearance respectively for us in all competitions.
Our goalkeeper and captain joined us from Lyon in 2012 and made his debut against Lazio in the Europa League in September, 2012.
Danny joined our Academy from Leeds in July, 2007 and scored that memorable volley against Arsenal on his Premier League debut in April, 2010.
The match between Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur kicked off at the Etihad Stadium and it was known that this game was one of the hardest game for us in the premier league. The home team dominated from starting enjoying most of the ball. The home team looked like scoring every time they attack, with slow calm build up.
Kevin De Bruyne captaining the home team in the absence of club captain David Silva, was in the heart of every home attack. Spurs kept hanging on, neutralizing the City’s attack till 19th minute, when the first time swinging cross from De Bruyne from the right found the lurking Sterling in the far post, who headed home the goal to lead Spurs 1 – 0.
No doubt Sterling has been the most improved player under Guardiola.
Things were not looking good for Spurs as they had not had enough possession of the ball, were unable to keep hold of the ball for much and were one goal down. It looked like game over for Spurs, after conceding first.
But, Ndombele fine driven pass in the middle of the field found Lamela in a yard of space, who carried a ball forward and saw goalkeeper Ederson out of possession to the right side of the post, and tried a curling shot which ended up in the bottom left corner of the post. It was a great response from the team who hadn’t had any shot registered yet.
City try to regain some control. They bounced back with complete possession. Kevin De Bruyne looked danger in every City’s forward move. Bernardo Silva looked lost, but Rodri was in full control of the midfield. While, Ndombele looked more and more impressive for Spurs. He looked like a complete French engine in the middle of the field, controlling defence and offence with perfect passing.
City took the lead again in the 36th minute of the game, and it was De Bruyne again who crossed a beautiful low driven cross from the right side which was met by – who else other than City’s all time goal scorer Aguerrrrrooooo, who guided the ball to the far corner with calm side foot touch.
Big chance for City came short after taking the lead, when De Bruyne low cross from the right again, was met by incoming Gundogan inside the box, whose first-time shot from 16 yards was just wide of the Lloris post. The first half ended in the favor of City 2 – 1.
The second half was started by City in the same fashion they ended the first half. City’s shot and Spurs blocks were rising, rising the corners for the home team. A corner was played out to Zinchenko at the edge of the box who shot a powerful strike, which deflected and was moving to bottom right corner of the Lloris, but the captain dived with great reflex to palm away the ball.
The game was slipping away and Poch needed to change something. First change came in the form of substitution when Harry Winks was substituted by Lucas Moura when the ball was out for Spurs Corner.
Lamela curved a beautiful corner which was headed powerfully by Lucas Moura, who had just entered the field 19 secs ago. Lucas was not marked by anyone, who risen high above Kyle Walker to head Spurs the equalizer , and Spurs are back again.
Sergio Aguero was replaced by Brazilian Gabriel Jesus in the 66th minute and there was hot dispute between Guardiola and Aguero after the substitution had taken place. Spurs was hanging on defending the City’s attack and trying to counter attack with Moura’s pace. There were many chances created by City which were saved impressively by captain Hugo Lloris.
In the 86th minute, Erik Lamela was replaced by Giovani Lo Celso – his first appearance for Spurs. The Spurs were happy to earn a hard fought 1 point against the Champions, but that happiness was taken away by the Brazilian Striker Gabriel Jesus, when the corner was deflected to his feet who calmly finished the ball in the right corner of the post, past Spurs defender.
The Spurs players / fans were heartbroken after conceding the goal in the final minutes of the game. Same thing had happened in the last season’s Champions League quarter final between them. Sterling scored a last minute goal but, the goal was ruled as offside by VAR then.
OHHHHHHHHHHHH IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN………………………….
The goal has been ruled off as the corner from De Bruyne, was flicked on by Laporte with his arm for Jesus to convert it to goal. City Kept on pressurizing the Spurs to take the lead but the time ran out.
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