City come from behind to win comfortably

The European champions, Manchester City, came from behind to eventually cruise to a victory against Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening. 

LINEUPS

MCI XI: Ederson; Walker*, Dias, Ake, Gomez; Nunes, Rodri; Silva, Alvarez, Foden; Haaland

MCI SUBS: Carson, Ortega, Akanji, Gvardiol, Lewis, Phillips, Doku, Bobb

ZVE XI: Glazer; Mijailovic, Dijga, Dragovic*, Rodic; Stamenic; Bukari, Hwang, Ivanic, Mitrovic; Ndiaye

ZVE SUBS: Popovic, Vasiljevic, Spajic, Milunovic, Degenek, Kanga, Katai, Olayinka, Kabic, Lucic, Krasso

Action: Absolute dominance would be understating the way in which Manchester City began their game against Red Star Belgrade. The European champions probed for what seemed an eternity without much cutting edge.

Rodri burst through the lines to fire an effort at goal, which was saved by Omri Glazer then a few minutes later Julian Alvarez had a shot well held by Glazer, Israel’s number one.

The Israeli then managed to keep out Phil Foden’s header from inside the six-yard box with the rebound, from Bernardo Silva, blocked at cleared by the Serbian champions.

Pep Guardiola eventually began to grow frustrated and decided to change it before half-time, presumably determining the play was too slow and deliberate with Jeremy Doku replacing Bernardo Silva.

However, within minutes of that substitution, Red Star believed they had taken the lead when Osman Bukari found himself in on goal and slotted home well beyond Ederson. Bukari’s effort was initially ruled offside but VAR intervened to allow the goal and give the visitors an extremely surprising half-time lead.

That half-time lead lasted less than two minutes of the restart when Argentinian forward Julian Alvarez poked beyond Glazer and into the Crvena zvzeda net in the 47th minute.

Kyle Walker believed he had then put the home team ahead a couple of minutes after that but the Englishman, who scored his first international goal around ten days ago in Poland against Ukraine, had strayed offside. 

Alvarez then hammered hard at goal from around 30 yards out but Glazer could only parry for Haaland to steam in but the Norwegian striker had his rebound blocked.

City did eventually retake the lead via a Julian Alvarez free kick which was crossed in from the left-hand side but the in swinging nature of the ball caught Glazer off guard and the ‘keeper, who had performed well to that stage, completely misjudged and allowed the ball to fly into the corner of the net. 

Red Star did not give up on the game and had an opening just a couple of minutes later when Osman Bukari found Hwang In-beom in the area but the South Korean international could only manage a tame effort, tricking into Ederson’s hands.

City failed to extend their lead when Haaland had another chance go begging. An excellent cross to the back post from Walker found the big Norwegian but his header downwards was saved by Glazer and put onto the post. Then, moments later, Alvarez had a chance for his hat-trick blazed wide when the goal was gaping after some smart work down the left by Doku. 

Last season’s UEFA Champions League final winning goal scorer, Rodri, eventually did extend Manchester City’s lead. The former Atletico Madrid man just turned how his man far too easily before driving with a curved run to the edge of the box and then stroking a delightful effort into the bottom corner from around 20 yards out. 

The technique on this Rodri goal 🤤

Pinpoint from Man City's #UCL hero 🙌 pic.twitter.com/tOsuJIHl7M

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 19, 2023

City had opportunities to add a fourth with second-half substitute Oscar Bobb going close when he had a well hit left-footed strike palmed behind by Glazer.

The big picture: Manchester City had a frustrating first-half and then a real scare but they began the defence of their trophy with a comfortable victory in the end. Red Star will have got more out of tonight than they anticipated so will go into the rest of the group games feeling a lot more confident than they may have been prior to the match. 

Man of the match: Julian Alvarez. Rodri, bursting forward, must be credited, but if you are losing at half-time and then a player scored two goals in 15 minutes to turn it around then they were the decisive player in the match.

EVENTS

Kick-off

’45 | GOAL: Bukari (0-1)

Half-time

’47 | GOAL: Alvarez (1-1)

’61 | GOAL: Alvarez (2-1)

’73 | GOAL: Rodri (3-1)

Full-time