UEFA Champions League

Quarter Final, Leg 1 Review- MAN CITY 3 - 0 BAYERN MUNICH

Manchester City will take a formidable Champions League quarter final advantage to the Allianz Arena next week after a solid attacking display ensured a 3-0 win against Bayern Munich.  In what was anticipated to be a gigantic clash, turned out to be a one sided affair as the hosts put on a dominant show. Rodrigo opened the scoring in the 27th minute. He collected the ball from a precise Benrando Silva pass from the right, then breezed past Jamal Musiala and sent a bullet left foot drive past Yann Sommer. Bernando Silva doubled the lead with a header in the 69th minute successfully converting an Erling Haaland cross from the left. He then himself got his name on the scoring sheet to put the game beyond Munich’s reach. The Norwegian international now has 45 goals to his name this season. 

City went into this tie against Bayern trying to secure a quarter final first leg lead for the third successive season. The game started with driving showers cutting across the Etihad but the home side pumped up the crowd with a supreme first half display. City’s first chance fell to Halland inside five minutes, who fired a shot over the bar from just inside the box. Two minutes later skipper IIkay Gundogan came close to scoring when he headed the ball just too high following an exceptional build up involving Silva and De Bruyne down the right.  Bayern Munich on the other hand were finding it difficult to get the ball in the opposition box. They did create a few chances in the second half but were denied by the brilliance of Ederson. Former City man, Leroy Sane led the Munich attack and flew forward in the 49th minute to produce a clean strike but the City keeper was up to the task. The German giants came out in the second half with more verve and energy as they were desperate to get back into the game.  However the high press and the eagerness to quickly move the ball forward worked against them as City pounced onto the gaps left at the back. Grealish leaped on a wayward back pass, the ball ultimately finding Haaland, who had a ferocious effort blocked. 

We witnessed end to end football by the two teams during the first few minutes of the second half. First Ederson was brought into action in the 54th minute when he dove to his right to keep out a powerful left foot drive by Sane. Then Nathan Ake fired in a low goalbound shot following a venture forward down the left channel only to see the ball parried away by Sommer’s hands in the 57th minute. One goal separated the two teams and City needed another goal to get some breathing space. Bernando Silva brought comfort for the hosts in the 69th minute as he headed Haaland’s cross from the left to get the hosts 2-0 up. 

Substitute Julian Alvarez could have buried the game in the 75th minute if it wasn’t for another heroic save by Sommer. The Swish international however could not hold for long as a minute later Haaland sealed the game with the third goal of the match. In the post match interview Pep Guardiola expressed his contentment but still believes his team can improve in a lot of areas. He also warned his players not to get too excited or complacent simply on the outcome of the first leg. Bayern manager Tuchel said despite the result, he is happy with his team’s performance. The former Chelsea boss believes his team lacked composure and finishing prowess against the goal but is confident of turning things around next week.