Report: Manchester City 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
Date: 06 April 2021
Venue: Etihad
A last-gasp winner from Phil Foden claimed a 2-1 victory for Manchester City over Borussia Dortmund in UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg action at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
Former Dortmund player Ilkay Gundogan, John Stones, Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden all came in as Pep Guardiola made five changes. Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling were among the substitutes as City lined up without a specialist centre forward.
The visitors' side included Erling Haaland, son of former City player Alf-Inge Haaland. England international Jude Bellingham also featured but former City Academy star Jadon Sancho was missing through injury. Meanwhile, Nico Schulz, Thomas Delaney and Thorgan Hazard all dropped out and were replaced in the starting line-up by Mateu Morey, Mahmoud Dahoud and Ansgar Knauff.
After a quiet opening, City grabbed the lead after 19 minutes with a ruthless counter-attack after former Liverpool midfielder Emre Can gave the ball away. Can's pass was seized upon by Riyad Mahrez and he quickly released Kevin De Bruyne, who fired home the opening goa.
City were awarded a penalty on the half-hour after a clash between Can and Rodri in the box. The incident was reviewed by VAR and, after referee Ovidiu Hategan took a look at the monitor, the decision was eventually overturned.
Dortmund had an equaliser harshly disallowed before the break after Bellingham charged down an attempted clearance from Ederson. The referee ruled Bellingham had fouled the City goalkeeper but replays suggested any contact was Ederson catching the Dortmund player as he miscued his kick.
In the 48th minute, Haaland got clear behind the City defence after a through ball by Dahoud and the striker outpaced Dias and just as he was about to chip Ederson, he tripped and the chance went abegging.
The hosts were to rue those misses as Dortmund claimed a well-worked equaliser six minutes from time. Haaland was involved, cleverly flicking the ball into the path of Marco Reus and he broke into the area to clip over Ederson.
That sparked City into action again and they reclaimed the lead in the final minute as Foden turned in from close range from Gundogan's cut-back after he was found brilliantly by De Bruyne as Pep Guardiola's side grabbed a dramatic winner.
