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Manchester City finished off the UEFA Champions League group stage with an entertaining 1-1 draw against Celtic FC at Etihad Stadium, with early goals from Patrick Roberts and Kelechi Iheanacho. City were very good despite having a team full of reserves and young players, and apart from one defensive mistake at the start of the match, they were the better team and should have gotten a win. But the result doesn't matter.
City began the game in a slow pace, failing to get any control of the ball and quickly went 1-0 down when City loanee Patrick Roberts made a fantastic run through Gaël Clichy and scored a very good goal. City tied the game just four minutes later with a great team goal finished by Kelechi Iheanacho, and the hosts were dominant for the rest of the half. Iheanacho came very close to a goal in the final minutes, and City went into halftime the better team and looking likely to get a game-winner in the second half.
The second half was once again dominated by City, but it was Celtic who got the best chances in the final period. Leroy Sané was bright but didn't get any contributions from his teammates and the game finished with a draw, however Pep Guardiola will be encouraged by his reserves and young players.
Man City: Caballero; Sagna, Adarabioyo, Clichy; Fernando; Maffeo (Navas), Zabaleta, Gundogan, Sané; Iheanacho, Nolito
Goal: Iheanacho (8')
Celtic: Gordon; Lustig, Simunovic, Sviatchenko, Izaguirre; Brown, Armstrong; Roberts, Rogic, Forrest (Mackay-Steven); Dembele (Griffiths)
Goal: Roberts (4')
Reactions
- Patrick Roberts will be a fantastic player. So good. So, so good. What a goal he scored.
- The buildup to City's goal was simply SPECTACULAR. Iheanacho's finish was insane, and Pep Ball is just beautiful when it works.
- Gundogan and Fernando were great together, and this may be the best partnership in midfield to replace Fernandinho during his suspension. The Brazilian and the German feed off each other's energy, and Fernando's defending combined with Gundogan's passing makes for a very good midfield.
- Leroy Sané cannot be a wingback. He makes some fantastic runs to the middle of the pitch and just looks more comfortable not having to defend deep into his own half of the pitch all the time. Free Leroy, Pep. Please.