IMAGE: Manchester City’s Erling Braut Haaland celebrates scoring with teammates. Photograph: Heiko Becker/Reuters
Manchester City cruised into the Champions League semi-finals after a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich on Wednesday secured a 4-1 combination win that moved them a step nearer to an elusive first title within the competitors.
City ahead Erling Haaland, who had missed a first-half penalty, made amends within the 57th minute, drilling in his forty eighth purpose in all competitions this season to kill off the tie earlier than Bayern levelled with a Joshua Kimmich penalty within the 83rd.
It was City’s fifteenth consecutive recreation with out defeat throughout all competitions and Pep Guardiola’s staff, dropping finalists in 2021, will subsequent face holders Real Madrid within the final 4.
IMAGE: Manchester City’s Erling Braut Haaland in motion with Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt. Photograph: Heiko Becker/Reuters
It was additionally the tenth time Guardiola had reached the semi-finals as a coach, a brand new file.
“I’m so blissful to be three in a row semi-finals (with City),” Guardiola stated. “I couldn’t count on (Bayern) otherwise, you noticed how good they’re.”
“In this competitors it’s the particulars. In these two video games in the fitting moments we have been there,” stated Guardiola, who coached Bayern from 2013-16.
“In the second half we adjusted some issues and since minute one within the second half we felt have been a lot, far more in management.”
Bayern at all times had a mountain to climb after dropping 3-0 within the first leg, however bought off to a robust begin.
Kingsley Coman was a continuing supply of hazard on the wing, maintaining City defenders busy, and the hosts’ largest likelihood got here within the seventeenth minute when Leroy Sane latched on to a Jamal Musiala cross however dragged his shot huge with solely keeper Ederson to beat.
IMAGE: Bayern Munich’s Thomas Mueller seems to be dejected after the match. Photograph: Leonhard Simon/Reuters
The Bavarians, knocked out of the German Cup two weeks in the past following coach Thomas Tuchel’s arrival, caught a break a minute later when defender Dayot Upamecano was initially despatched off after receiving a straight purple card for a last-man foul on Haaland.
A VAR evaluate, nonetheless, confirmed the striker was offside and the Bayern defender’s dismissal was overturned.
Upamecano, who had been closely criticised for his mistake that led to City’s second purpose within the first leg, was much less lucky a little bit later when he was penalised for a handball.
Haaland despatched his penalty excessive over the bar, a uncommon miss for the Norwegian striker this season, however he did a lot better after the restart.
After combining effectively with Kevin De Bruyne, Haaland shook off the embattled Upamecano, earlier than beating keeper Yann Sommer, setting a brand new file having taken simply 27 matches to attain 35 targets in Europe’s premier membership competitors.
City’s purpose was the primary Bayern conceded at house in the whole competitors this season and the hosts, who’ve solely the Bundesliga title left to play for, bought an equaliser when Kimmich transformed a spot kick.
“It is de facto annoying that we didn’t take the lead with all the possibilities that we had,” Kimmich stated. I’d have favored to see how this match had gone if we had made it 1-0 within the first half.”
Their irritating night was accomplished when Tuchel was despatched off after a second reserving within the 86th minute.
