Borussia Monchengladbach 1-2 Manchester City: Aguero penalty secures late win for Pellegrini's men
The Argentine attacker converted from the spot
late in the game as the visitors came from behind
to land the three points
Sergio Aguero broke Borussia Monchengladbach's
hearts from the penalty spot as Manchester City
secured a 2-1 comeback win in Champions
League Group D on Wednesday.
Following on from a chastening 4-1 Premier
League loss at Tottenham on Saturday, Manuel
Pellegrini's team were largely woeful defensively
as Monchengladbach thrilled a fervent crowd on
their first home match in Europe's top competition
for 37 years.
City were indebted to Joe Hart, who brilliantly
denied forward Raffael on a number of occasions
– most notably from a 19th-minute spot-kick.
A deserved and stylish opening goal arrived nine
minutes into the second half from Lars Stindl,
heightening the pressure on City who, like the
hosts, lost their opening group match.
Nicolas Otamendi endured much of the Bundesliga
side's attacking storm but found respite to net a
65th-minute equaliser.
His compatriot Aguero suffered frustrations
similar to those of Raffael in front of goal from
open play but held his nerve from 12 yards in the
90th minute, sending Yann Sommer the wrong
way after being fouled by Fabian Johnson
Probing for early vulnerability in a City defence
that proved so porous at White Hart Lane,
Johnson drove towards goal and skilfully laid off
for Raffael, who sliced it off target.
It was a thrilling, if cavalier, start to the contest
and City should have taken a fifth-minute lead
when Raheem Sterling cut a low ball across from
the left and Sommer denied Aguero from point-
blank range.
Patrick Herrmann shot wide on a lightning
counter-attack and Raffael passed up an even
better opportunity to put the hosts in front,
blasting his penalty too close to Hart following
Otamendi's clumsy foul on the Brazilian forward.
Hart should have had an assist to his name
moments later when Aguero latched onto his
raking ball downfield but fired past the post.
The Argentina international manufactured space to
have an attempt in the 29th minute but the result
was the same, with Sommer untroubled.
A shambolic and overly exposed City defence
were indebted to Hart as he superbly frustrated
Raffael twice more before the break, while
Monchengladbach midfielder Stindl was booked
for a dive in the box despite replays suggesting
Fernandinho made contact.
Yaya Toure, substituted with a tight hamstring at
Tottenham and wholly ineffective here, was
replaced by Fernando for the start of the second
half as Raffael and Hart resumed their duel.
The outcome was familiar – the England
goalkeeper excelling himself after Raffael sprung
City's flimsy high line - but Hart was finally beaten
in the 54th minute.
City left-back Aleksandar Kolarov allowed Julian
Korb ample room on the right to pick out Stindl ,
who swept home a low finish.
The visiting centre-backs found the ideal way to
atone for their ordeal at the other end by
combining to equalise 11 minutes later.
Martin Demichelis looked to have turned Kevin De
Bruyne's corner over the line and Korb shovelled
the ball as far as Otamendi, whose rasping shot
deflected into the net off Andreas Christensen.
Pellegrini's side carried by far the greater threat
in the closing stages but had to wait until the
death to seal all three points, with Johnson the
villain after a corner from substitute Jesus Navas
was sloppily dealt with.
A cool Aguero settled matters to leave City level
on points with Sevilla and three behind their
matchweek one conquerors Juventus, with
Monchengladbach desperately unlucky to not get
off the mark.
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