Leipzig, February 23 (BNA): Joshko Gvardiol stifled the threat of Manchester City star Erling Haaland before scoring himself to secure a 1-1 draw for Leipzig in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.
The Croatia centre-back, nicknamed ‘Little Pep’ due to the similarity of his last name to City manager Pep Guardiola, headed in a 70th-minute equalizer after Leipzig finally managed to deal with the English champions.
City dominated the first half without Haaland, their top scorer, as he could see the goal, and Riyad Mahrez scored the opening goal in the 27th minute after Ilkay Gundogan flicked a pass from Jack Grealish, the Associated Press reports.
With Haaland feeling frustrated in the second half, City lost control of the game and Leipzig posed a bigger threat, creating the best chances.
“What do you expect, that we are playing a friendly match here?” Guardiola said when asked why his team could not maintain control in the second half. “How many games have you seen from Leipzig? You expect us to come here and win 0-5? That’s not true.”
Leaves the game in the balance heading into the second leg in Manchester on March 14 as City continue their bid to win the Champions League for the first time.
Guardiola conducted a brief debriefing with his players on the field after the final whistle, telling them to stay positive after seeing them clear their advantage after a first-half performance that could have led to more than just a 20th Champions League goal.
Haaland had only seven touches before the end of the first half, and none of them came into the Leipzig penalty area and he had only one chance in the entire match, when he got a chance in the middle of the second half and hit a shot that went wide of the goal.
Leipzig’s extra strength and aggressiveness has paid off as the German side, Champions League semi-finalists in 2020, finally show why they have lost just one of their previous 20 matches in all competitions.
“We started playing and fighting,” Leipzig coach Marco Rose said. “Really different from the first half. We were so passive in every situation. We didn’t have strength. In the second half, we were on the same level (as City). Better late than never.”
Benjamin Henriques, who came on as a half-time substitute, was teetering as he was one-on-one with goalkeeper Ederson, who fell well to deny Andre Silva.
However, Ederson was stranded when Marcel Halstenberg swung in a cross from the left wing and the 21-year-old Gvardiol, one of the best defenders at last year’s World Cup and among Europe’s most sought-after young players, swept past Ruben Dias to nod the ball. in an unprotected network.
There was a bizarre incident in the dying seconds when Mahrez hit a cross into the area and City midfielder Henrichs appeared to head it in as he defended his body with both arms. City players challenged a penalty kick, but the referee did not move.
When Leipzig visited the city’s Etihad Stadium, it lost 6-3 in a wild match in the Champions League group stage last season. Christopher Nkunku scored a hat-trick for Leipzig that night, and the French striker entered as a substitute in the second half, stepping up his strength after a left knee injury he sustained in training in November before traveling to the World Cup.
Nkunku may be fit to start the second leg when Kevin De Bruyne becomes available again for City. The playmaker was absent on Wednesday due to illness.
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