Champions League drama: Manchester City claw back to advance to knockout round playoffs
CNN
Manchester City scored three second half goals to come back from the brink of elimination and advance to the UEFA Champions League’s inaugural knockout round playoffs following a thrilling 3-1 victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday night.
Manchester City scored three second half goals to come back from the brink of elimination and advance to the UEFA Champions League’s inaugural knockout round playoffs following a thrilling 3-1 victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday night. In a win-or-go-home situation, Manchester City struggled to find many goal chances early, failing to register a single shot on target in the first half. Things went from bad to worse in the final moments of the first half when Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika netted his first career goal in the competition in the 45th minute to give his side a stunning 1-0 advantage. Needing two goals to avoid elimination, City’s John Stones nearly equalized in the opening minutes of the second half, when Kevin De Bruyne curled one into the penalty area but Stones’ header went wide of the goal. City’s Mateo Kovačić drew the game level in the 53rd minute, picking up the ball near midfield, driving straight through the middle of the Belgian defense and slotting in the goal into the bottom left corner for the 1-1 tie. Less than 10 minutes later, the fans at Etihad Stadium were sent into an uproar and invigorated with hope following an own goal by Club Brugge. Manchester City’s Joško Gvardiol’s cross attempt was inadvertently directed in by Joel Ordóñez for the own goal to give City the 2-1 lead.