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Man City 1 Borussia Dortmund 1: Hart heroics save the day after Rodwell error
By MATT LAWTON
PUBLISHED: 21:37, 3 October 2012 | UPDATED: 23:28, 3 October 2012
The self-destructive tendencies remain and so, Roberto Mancini will have to concede, do the weaknesses that continue to divide his Manchester City side from the very best in Europe; that seriously threaten their chances of progressing beyond the Champions League group stage once again.
They got lucky here at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, snatching a point from a far superior Borussia Dortmund thanks to a last-minute penalty converted beautifully by Mario Balotelli but one that even Mancini considered unfortunate for Neven Subotic.
‘He was unlucky,’ said City’s manager, and given the way Sergio Aguero’s volley struck the Serbian on the underside of the arm it certainly looked that way.
Who's laughing now? Mario Balotelli gives Dortumund stopper Roman Weidenfelller a piece of his mind after levelling from the spot (below)
Match facts
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy (Balotelli 81), Silva, Javi Garcia (Rodwell 34), Y Toure, Nasri (Kolarov 56), Dzeko, Aguero.
Subs not used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Milner, Tevez, Balotelli.
Booked: Kompany, Y Toure
Goal: Balotelli 90 pen.
Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels (Santana 74), Schmelzer, Gundogan (Grosskreutz 82), Bender, Blaszczykowski, Gotze (Kehl 88), Reus, Lewandowski.
Subs not used: Langerak, Leitner, Schieber, Felipe, Perisic.
Booked: Blaszczykowski
Goal: Reus 62
Att: 43,607
Ref: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)
Latest Champions League results, fixtures and table
Mancini was also honest enough to admit the German champions were the ‘better’ team, the fact his team avoided a second successive defeat in this group owing much to the brilliance of Joe Hart.
He was magnificent, producing a succession of saves to frustrate Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze in particular.
The one goal Hart did concede will trouble Mancini, though, because it exposed a critical failure to follow instructions and take heed of a manager’s warnings.
On the eve of this Champions League encounter, Mancini had demanded an improvement on the performance that his side had delivered in Madrid, with a particular focus on the mistakes that turned victory into crushing defeat in the final few minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Inside the mind of Jack Rodwell, however, the message did not get through. Inside the mind of Jack Rodwell it was still acceptable to deliver a blind pass across the City defence in the vain hope that nobody representing the Germans would be quick enough to exploit his stupidity.
Much to Mancini’s very obvious frustration, his £15million summer signing gambled and lost, Marco Reus bursting on to the ball ahead of Matija Nastasic before beating Hart with a fine right-foot finish.
At that point, in the 62nd minute, Mancini had opted to switch to a back three in pursuit of the three points he wanted to take from this contest, and he perhaps has to take some responsibility for a decision that might have unsettled his defenders.
But as a back four they were not much better, with Nastasic giving a performance that might yet persuade Mancini to recall Joleon Lescott for Saturday’s meeting with Sunderland.
Breakthrough: Marco Reus struck after Jack Rodwell's error
Oops: Rodwell's was at fault for Dortmund's goal
The Serbian’s hesitancy alongside Vincent Kompany became a real issue for City and something Lewandowski and Gotze were keen to exploit.
Both of them were excellent on Wednesday, with Lewandowski demonstrating what a danger he could be to England’s World Cup ambitions in Warsaw later this month. In fairness to City, they played some pretty decent stuff of their own going forward, particularly in a first half that amounted to as good a goalless 45 minutes of football as you will see this season.
Roman Weidenfeller also had to be at his very best in Dortmund’s goal, in particular to deny Aguero, while the skill and speed of David Silva also caused problems for the visitors.
No way: Mario Gotze was denied by the superb Joe Hart
And another: Hart was close to, but not quite, unbeatable
In the official UEFA magazine, Mancini spoke of what singles out the great playmakers. ‘The trequartista can find a corridor where others see a jungle of legs,’ he said, and that lovely line certainly applied to Silva and Gotze at times during a fast and furious contest.
From Germans, and their highly-rated manager Jurgen Klopp, came a continental football masterclass, however, and it is that class and composure which single them out as the team who should join Madrid in qualifying from this most deadly of groups for the knockout stages.
No way though: Sergio Aguero is denied by a wall of defenders
City continued to look naive by comparison and after two games their position is precarious.
They started brightly enough, the decision to recall striker Edin Dzeko and midfielder Samir Nasri to the side almost paying off immediately for Mancini when the two combined to force the first decent save Weidenfeller.
But Mancini said the German champions were among the finest teams in Europe and it did not take long for them to threaten, either. Lewandowski was quick to impose himself in the City penalty area and when Gotze burst forward the gifted young German unleashed a shot that Joe Hart did well to tip onto his right-hand post.
Mancini’s plans were disrupted by the loss of Javi Garcia to what looked like a thigh injury more than 10 minutes before the break, that setback leading to the deployment of Rodwell alongside Toure.
The change certainly seemed to unsettle City, with Dortmund so nearly scoring twice in the minutes that followed. On both occasions Hart excelled, first denying Lewandowski and then Gotze when the 20-year-old had only City’s goalkeeper to beat. Hart would turn another effort against the woodwork.
For an away team, Dortmund were performing with real ambition. They were pressing high up the pitch, and so putting City’s defence under enormous pressure.
Nastasic continued to struggle after the break, giving the ball away and relying on Pablo Zabaleta to make the last-ditch challenge from Zabaleta. Gotze would then demand that Hart excel again.
But when Rodwell tried to delivered that suicidal ball in the 62nd minute, Reus was there to punish the young Englishman.
Blow: Javi Garcia picked up an injury
Discussion: Jurgen Klopp and Roberto Mancini stand over David Silva
City were stunned, Hart producing yet another stunning save to then deny Ilkay Gundogan before Mancini went in pursuit of an equaliser by sending on Balotelli as a replacement for Gael Clichy.
With three strikers on the pitch City attacked with more urgency, but the breakthrough came in the most fortuitous circumstances even if Balotelli then finished with aplomb.
On a roll: Reus celebrates with Robert Lewandowski
It leaves City with a fighting chances, even if a booking for Kompany leaves them without their captain for the trip that now follows to Ajax.
‘We need to learn and fast,’ said Mancini on the eve of this game. They certainly do now.
Going wild: Dortmund fans enjoyed the match
No cigar: Weidenfeller tried to psyche out Balotelli, but the Italian emerged on top (below)
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz28Hl5p2gu
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PUBLISHED: 21:37, 3 October 2012 | UPDATED: 23:28, 3 October 2012
The self-destructive tendencies remain and so, Roberto Mancini will have to concede, do the weaknesses that continue to divide his Manchester City side from the very best in Europe; that seriously threaten their chances of progressing beyond the Champions League group stage once again.
They got lucky here at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, snatching a point from a far superior Borussia Dortmund thanks to a last-minute penalty converted beautifully by Mario Balotelli but one that even Mancini considered unfortunate for Neven Subotic.
‘He was unlucky,’ said City’s manager, and given the way Sergio Aguero’s volley struck the Serbian on the underside of the arm it certainly looked that way.
Who's laughing now? Mario Balotelli gives Dortumund stopper Roman Weidenfelller a piece of his mind after levelling from the spot (below)Match facts
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy (Balotelli 81), Silva, Javi Garcia (Rodwell 34), Y Toure, Nasri (Kolarov 56), Dzeko, Aguero.
Subs not used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Milner, Tevez, Balotelli.
Booked: Kompany, Y Toure
Goal: Balotelli 90 pen.
Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels (Santana 74), Schmelzer, Gundogan (Grosskreutz 82), Bender, Blaszczykowski, Gotze (Kehl 88), Reus, Lewandowski.
Subs not used: Langerak, Leitner, Schieber, Felipe, Perisic.
Booked: Blaszczykowski
Goal: Reus 62
Att: 43,607
Ref: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)
Latest Champions League results, fixtures and table
Mancini was also honest enough to admit the German champions were the ‘better’ team, the fact his team avoided a second successive defeat in this group owing much to the brilliance of Joe Hart.
He was magnificent, producing a succession of saves to frustrate Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze in particular.
The one goal Hart did concede will trouble Mancini, though, because it exposed a critical failure to follow instructions and take heed of a manager’s warnings.
On the eve of this Champions League encounter, Mancini had demanded an improvement on the performance that his side had delivered in Madrid, with a particular focus on the mistakes that turned victory into crushing defeat in the final few minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Inside the mind of Jack Rodwell, however, the message did not get through. Inside the mind of Jack Rodwell it was still acceptable to deliver a blind pass across the City defence in the vain hope that nobody representing the Germans would be quick enough to exploit his stupidity.
Much to Mancini’s very obvious frustration, his £15million summer signing gambled and lost, Marco Reus bursting on to the ball ahead of Matija Nastasic before beating Hart with a fine right-foot finish.
At that point, in the 62nd minute, Mancini had opted to switch to a back three in pursuit of the three points he wanted to take from this contest, and he perhaps has to take some responsibility for a decision that might have unsettled his defenders.
But as a back four they were not much better, with Nastasic giving a performance that might yet persuade Mancini to recall Joleon Lescott for Saturday’s meeting with Sunderland.
Breakthrough: Marco Reus struck after Jack Rodwell's errorOops: Rodwell's was at fault for Dortmund's goalThe Serbian’s hesitancy alongside Vincent Kompany became a real issue for City and something Lewandowski and Gotze were keen to exploit.
Both of them were excellent on Wednesday, with Lewandowski demonstrating what a danger he could be to England’s World Cup ambitions in Warsaw later this month. In fairness to City, they played some pretty decent stuff of their own going forward, particularly in a first half that amounted to as good a goalless 45 minutes of football as you will see this season.
Roman Weidenfeller also had to be at his very best in Dortmund’s goal, in particular to deny Aguero, while the skill and speed of David Silva also caused problems for the visitors.
No way: Mario Gotze was denied by the superb Joe HartAnd another: Hart was close to, but not quite, unbeatableIn the official UEFA magazine, Mancini spoke of what singles out the great playmakers. ‘The trequartista can find a corridor where others see a jungle of legs,’ he said, and that lovely line certainly applied to Silva and Gotze at times during a fast and furious contest.
From Germans, and their highly-rated manager Jurgen Klopp, came a continental football masterclass, however, and it is that class and composure which single them out as the team who should join Madrid in qualifying from this most deadly of groups for the knockout stages.
No way though: Sergio Aguero is denied by a wall of defendersCity continued to look naive by comparison and after two games their position is precarious.
They started brightly enough, the decision to recall striker Edin Dzeko and midfielder Samir Nasri to the side almost paying off immediately for Mancini when the two combined to force the first decent save Weidenfeller.
But Mancini said the German champions were among the finest teams in Europe and it did not take long for them to threaten, either. Lewandowski was quick to impose himself in the City penalty area and when Gotze burst forward the gifted young German unleashed a shot that Joe Hart did well to tip onto his right-hand post.
Mancini’s plans were disrupted by the loss of Javi Garcia to what looked like a thigh injury more than 10 minutes before the break, that setback leading to the deployment of Rodwell alongside Toure.
The change certainly seemed to unsettle City, with Dortmund so nearly scoring twice in the minutes that followed. On both occasions Hart excelled, first denying Lewandowski and then Gotze when the 20-year-old had only City’s goalkeeper to beat. Hart would turn another effort against the woodwork.
For an away team, Dortmund were performing with real ambition. They were pressing high up the pitch, and so putting City’s defence under enormous pressure.
Nastasic continued to struggle after the break, giving the ball away and relying on Pablo Zabaleta to make the last-ditch challenge from Zabaleta. Gotze would then demand that Hart excel again.
But when Rodwell tried to delivered that suicidal ball in the 62nd minute, Reus was there to punish the young Englishman.
Blow: Javi Garcia picked up an injuryDiscussion: Jurgen Klopp and Roberto Mancini stand over David SilvaCity were stunned, Hart producing yet another stunning save to then deny Ilkay Gundogan before Mancini went in pursuit of an equaliser by sending on Balotelli as a replacement for Gael Clichy.
With three strikers on the pitch City attacked with more urgency, but the breakthrough came in the most fortuitous circumstances even if Balotelli then finished with aplomb.
On a roll: Reus celebrates with Robert LewandowskiIt leaves City with a fighting chances, even if a booking for Kompany leaves them without their captain for the trip that now follows to Ajax.
‘We need to learn and fast,’ said Mancini on the eve of this game. They certainly do now.
Going wild: Dortmund fans enjoyed the matchNo cigar: Weidenfeller tried to psyche out Balotelli, but the Italian emerged on top (below)Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz28Hl5p2gu
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