Match Day Report: Champions League Lives Upto Expectations
Reuters / Phil Noble Livepic
The UEFA Champions League is known for providing us with football that consists of quality, excitement and passion and the two matches played today surely contained that in abundance to say the least.
Footballing fans around the world glued to their TV sets ended up receiving a match day made of dreams as Manchester City took on Monaco while Leverkusen faced Atletico Madrid in probably games of the season so far.
With a total of 14 goals in 2 games, yes you read that right, here is a look into the two matches played tonight:
Manchester City 5-3 Monaco
Reuters / Lee Smith
Probably the match of tournament already, the Etihad was host to a game consisting of breathless action throughout the 90 minutes filled with it’s fair share of beautiful goals, error prone defending and dramatic decisions.
The game was kicked into life as Manchester City took an early lead through Sterling which was soon pulled back by the away side through Falcao who found the back of the net with a diving header. The French side then went and took a surprise lead in the 40th minute through Mbappe with the help of some static defending.
With the score at 2-1 in the second half, City pulled up their socks and out popped their star man Aguero with two goals in thirteen minutes to make the tie an even more exciting affair. However, the two goals also saw an unbelievable chip from Falcao beat the City goalkeeper and remind Manchester why he was bought by Louis van Gaal back in the day.
With the score at 3-3 and the tie in anybody’s favour, Pep Guardiola’s men drove into all out attacking gear and tore apart Monaco’s defense yet again through Stones in the 77th minute before Sane scored their 5th goal to complete an unreal night of football in the competition. Falcao also missed a penalty, a costly chance gone by as it is advantage City, and now over to the second leg in France soon.
Bayer Leverkusen 2-4 Atletico Madrid
Reuters / Wolfgang Rattay
If one beautiful match of football was not enough, the world was treated with another spectacle of the sport as the German side hosted visitors from Spain. The match came into life when Saul curled in a beautiful effort in the 17th minute to give the away side the lead. That was then doubled through Griezmann, who was assisted by Gameiro after a costly defensive error was pounced upon without mercy.
As the game seemed done and dusted, the home team came out all guns blazing in the second half and pulled one back through Bellarabi as early as in the 48th minute. An equalizer soon followed as a result of an own goal by Savic in the 68th minute, promising the last 20 minutes to be mouth watering.
With momentum favouring a comeback in Leverkusen’s favour, Diego Simeone’s men proved why they’re two time finalists under him as Gameiro slotted a 59th minute penalty which was followed by a goal scored by club legend Fernando Torres in the dying moments to obtain a crucial and possibly unassailable away goals lead for the second leg.
With two more matches to come tomorrow, there is no denying that the UCL provides the most beautiful moments of football for a fan to love the game more and hence be rightfully called the best competition in club football.