City did not know how to sustain the advantage obtained in the first half. (AFP)
Manchester City could not maintain their advantage and ended up drawing 1-1 at RB Leipzig, this Wednesday in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, leaving everything pending for the return in England.
the algerian Riyad Mahrez He opened the scoring for Pep Guardiola’s team in the 27th minute, while at 70′ the Croatian equalized for the locals Josko Gvardiol.
The tie therefore remains in a draw and the outcome will take place on March 14 at the Etihad Stadium, where City will rely on the local factor to continue in a tournament that obsesses its owners and in which the club has never he was champion.
None of the four English teams classified to the round of 16 of the Champions League has been able to win in the first leg of their qualifying rounds.
Manchester City can at least boast of being the only one who did not lose, since the other three were defeated in the first round of their qualifiers, both Chelsea (1-0 against Borussia Dortmund) and Tottenham (1-0 against AC Milan ) and Liverpool (5-2 at home against Real Madrid).
CITY GOAL! Leipzig’s weak start from the bottom for Mahrez to score at 26 ‘PT the 1-0 of Guardiola’s team in the Champions League.
? Look at the #UCL by #StarPlusLA pic.twitter.com/6mIkuXrAK2
– SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) February 22, 2023
In this Wednesday’s match in Germany, City were superior at the start and immediately had the best chances of the first half against the fifth-ranked team in the Bundesliga.
The Portuguese Ruben Dias with a header (minute 13) and Mahrez (16′) in a free-kick that crashed into the barrier sent the first warnings, somewhat timid, before half an hour into the game the scoring opened.
In that goal, the Austrian Xaver Schlager had a large dose of negative responsibility, who lost a ball in his field, intercepted by Jack Grealish, who gave up looking for a teammate. In the midst of the hubbub, the ball went to Mahrez, who stepped on the area and then sent a shot with which he beat the local goalkeeper.
Mahrez He has seven goals in 2023: four in the Premier League, two in the FA Cup and now one in the Champions League. He also provided three assists at the start of the year.
german reaction
Before the break, the ‘sky blue’ cast had chances to extend the score, but both a header from Rodri (30′) from a corner kick and a cross shot from Grealish (37′) were lost outside.
In the second half, Mahrez touched the second at 49 ‘but Schlager then responded well and served with his thigh under the sticks.
LEIPZIG EQUATED IT! The good Josko Gvardiol appeared for a TOP jump in the 1-1 vs. Manchester City for the #Champions.
? Look at the #UCL by #StarPlusLA pic.twitter.com/QDM3tAtZVo
– SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) February 22, 2023
Leipzig came out of its lethargy with a chance that almost allowed them to tie, with a header from Benjamin Heinrichs (54′) that went over the goal defended by the Brazilian Ederson, who then repelled a shot from Timo Werner (56′).
The locals kept trying, giving a different image to that of the first half.
In the 69th minute, Ederson saved a strong shot from the Hungarian Dominik Szoboszlai and the equalizer came in the 70th minute. It was in a corner kick that the Croatian Josko Gvardiol He finished off with a header to make it 1-1.
Ilkay Gündogan responded at 73′ with a great attempt that the local goalkeeper, Janis Blaswich, repelled.
In the last quarter of an hour, the game slowed down and the two teams began to think about the second leg in three weeks.
