Man City 2 Dinamo Zagreb 0: Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden net to earn Champions League win for Pep Guardiola
SUPER SUB Raheem Sterling was the top man once again as he climbed off the bench to win the game for Manchester City. The 65th minute goal from the England ace brought a huge sigh of relief within the Etihad – and prompted hundreds of Croatians to go topless. Meanwhile Pep Guardiola blew his top […]
SUPER SUB Raheem Sterling was the top man once again as he climbed off the bench to win the game for Manchester City.
The 65th minute goal from the England ace brought a huge sigh of relief within the Etihad – and prompted hundreds of Croatians to go topless.
Meanwhile Pep Guardiola blew his top at the Dutch referee – and earned himself a yellow card – when the official failed to give a foul on Sterling.
The smile was back on his face in stoppage time when Sterling teed up fellow sub Phil Foden to roll in a second.
That ensured a frustrating night finished on a positive note – and that City ended the night on top of the pile.
Anything other than a win would have been almost unthinkable for Guardiola’s men.
Zagreb have lost their last 12 Champions League away games and knew another would here would be a new record.
It was 15 without a win and you have to go back to 1998 for the last time they won on the road.
City’s home form under the current manager has been impressive – winning seven of their nine group games in this competition at the Etihad.
So on paper at least this should have been a home banker.
Yet the Croatians began this campaign in impressive fashion with a 4-0 win over Atalanta and Pep Guardiola had warned his team not to treat them lightly.
City’s home form under the current manager has been impressive – winning seven of their nine group games in this competition at the Etihad.
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The English champions were looking to build on their excellent start in Shakhtar two weeks ago and made a lively start.
Sergio Aguero burst clear of the visiting defence but could not get around the keeper – with the ball eventually falling to Bernardo Silva who scooped his shot over the bar.
Midway through the first half David Silva’s cross made its way through to Ilkay Gundogan who thumped a shot against the bar.
And another chance went begging as Benjamin Mendy and Aguero teed up Silva who rolled his shot wide of the post from close range.
Guardiola did not look impressed at such wastefulness and Zagreb were looking dangerous from set-pieces with Dino Peric’s header forcing a save out of Ederson.
VAR was needed to check whether Kevin Theodore Catherine had handled in the box – and it looked like the ball had hit his arm but nothing was given.
The last four Champions League games here last season saw City rattle in a total of 19 goals – but they could not find a breakthrough here.
And it is not the first time they have struggled in their first home game of a European campaign – last season they were beaten 2-1 here by Lyon.
Yet here they had enjoyed a whopping 78% of possession so no doubt the message from Guardiola at half-time was to stay patient.
Early in the second half a mix up between keeper Dominik Livakovic and Peric almost presented Aguero with the opener but the Argentine was not able to force the ball home.
Guardiola knew he had some game-changers on the bench and before the hour he threw on Sterling in place of Bernardo.
The England winger got a shot away after good work by Mendy but it was blocked making it easy for the visiting keeper.
Zagreb were putting their bodies on the line and no wonder – they were beginning to fancy an unlikely point against one of the favourites to win the tournament.
When Silva hooked a ball back beyond the keeper it looked perfect for Aguero but Peric got back to clear off the striker’s toe and it was starting to look like one of those nights.
But just as he has done so many times in the last couple of years, Sterling came to City’s rescue.Rodri’s pass saw Riyad Mahrez get in down the left and he rolled over a cross which the former Liverpool forward turned in from close range.
Guardiola was down on his haunches in celebration – an indication of how frustrating the night had become for City.
This is the fifth season that Sterling has scored in this competition for City – matching a feat only previously done by Aguero, Silva and Yaya Toure.
Bizarrely the goal was the cue for many of the 1300 travelling fans to whip off their tops – although it didn’t stop them from singing.
Sterling felt he should have had a free-kick – or even a penalty – when he was upended on the edge of the box – but the Dutch referee gave nothing.
Guardiola made his feelings known to the fourth official – earning himself a yellow card in the process.
Aguero fluffed another chance to make the game safe after more good work from Silva but his effort was deflected narrowly wide.
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Another VAR check came when Peric seemed to take the legs of Aguero in the box but replays showed he just got something on the ball.
All these missed chances meant it turned into a nail-biting finish for City when they should have been out of sight much earlier.
But with Dinamo committed to attack, Sterling broke clear and teed up Foden to fire in number two.