In an unlikely upset, Red Bull Leipzig defeated Manchester City 2-1 to round off Champions League action in Group A.
It was a game which ultimately meant nothing for Pep Guardiola’s men who topped the group regardless with an unassailable lead over Paris Saint-Germain going into this matchday, but the onus was on the hosts to respond after Jesse Marsch’s recent dismissal as head coach, as they needed a result to guarantee a place in the knockout stages of the Europa League after Christmas.
They duly did so; producing an excellently-managed display that involved composed possession play, clever changes in tempo when needed and defensive solidity, and it was Dominik Szoboszlai and Andre Silva who produced the finishes to give Achim Beierlozer a dream start in caretaker charge as he defeated the great Guardiola.
Champions League
Guardiola backs De Bruyne to ‘show himself he’s back’ ahead of Leipzig clash
YESTERDAY AT 18:53
A lovely ball with the outside of his boot from Konrad Laimer sent Szoboszlai clear, and the Hungarian had the pace to burn past John Stones and the composure to round deputy goalkeeper Zack Steffen to put the Red Bulls into a lead that they arguably had deserved.
Silva doubled the lead on 71 minutes; rounding off a lovely countering move that saw John Stones lose the ball high up the field, and Emil Forsberg had the awareness to pick out the Portuguese, who span on a sixpence and fired emphatically into the bottom corner to give the American goalkeeper no chance.
City bit back – Riyad Mahrez netted his fifth goal in six Champions League games with a diving header from Oleksandr Zinchenko’s glorious cross from deep in the left channel, but it wasn’t to be as the east German side clung on, showing excellent game management to snatch an unlikely victory.
Kyle Walker was sent off late on, booting the back of Silva in frustration, meaning that he will be suspended for the first knockout round to culminate a poor showing from City that will infuriate Pep Guardiola.
Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates with team-mates after scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League group A match between RB Leipzig and Manchester City
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT – CITY SIDE TOO STRONG?
Guardiola named a very strong line-up in a dead rubber for his side, and eyebrows were certainly raised when the team selection was published.
Questions were asked as to whether Walker should have been rested after constant starts in the league, but the right-back started again and was sent off for his troubles in the dying embers, meaning City will be without a star defender in the last 16.
Five academy prospects sat on the bench for the Citizens this evening with most expecting to get some minutes, but as City stuttered, Guardiola ignored the kids, giving only Cole Palmer four minutes at the end of the game as they lost their heads and the match overall.
Phil Foden was sacrificed after a poor first half showing, and Raheem Sterling wasn’t much better as his replacement on the left.
Perhaps tiredness telling, but in all, it shouldn’t faze City too much with their place in the next round confirmed already.
RB Leipzig
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Leipzig: Gulasci 6, Mukiele 6, Klostermann 6, Gvardiol 6, Angelino 6, Kampl 6, Laimer 8, Forsberg 7, Szoboszlai 8, Nkunku 7, Silva 7, Simakan 7, Adams 6, Brobbey 6, Henrichs 6, Moriba 6.
City: Steffen 7, Walker 5, Stones 6, Ake 6, Zinchenko 6, Fernandinho 6, Gundogan 6, de Bruyne 6, Foden 5, Grealish 6, Mahrez 6, Sterling 6, Palmer 6, Dias 6.
MAN OF THE MATCH – DOMINK SZOBOSZLAI, RB LEIPZIG
The starlet was at his very best today, running the show from the number 10 hole in the hosts’ 4-2-3-1.
Linking play between defensive midfield and attack, the Hungarian was lively throughout, with his movement proving a thorn in the side of Fernandinho and the rest of the City midfield unit.
The 21-year old’s performance was rounded off by a goal filled with panache: delicately rounding Steffen with such calmness to set Leipzig on their way to an excellent win.
KEY MOMENTS
24′: GOALLLL!!! Leipzig are a goal to the good! Szboszlai is adjudged to be onside chasing a lovely through ball from Laimer as the Hungarian times his run excellently, breaks through the centre of the park and rounds Steffen! 1-0!
39′: What a chance again for Leipzig! A deep cross from Nkunku finds its way to Szoboszlai at the far post, he nods down for Silva and Steffen saves well!
40′: POST! The tempo slows slightly, but Foden advances down the left, and hits the post with a shot, and Gulasci gets a fingertip to it!
71′: GOALLL!!! An emphatic finish from Andre Silva, as Leipzig double their lead! Stones lost the ball high, Forsberg darted onto the ricochet, picked out Silva, and the Portuguese international span and planted the shot into the bottom corner leaving Steffen with no chance. 2-0.
76′: GOALLL!!! To follow a penalty claim, Riyad Mahrez heads in a glorious Zinchenko cross on the dive, and it’s game on! 2-1.
KEY STAT
Bundesliga
Marsch sacked by RB Leipzig after five months in charge
05/12/2021 AT 10:22
Premier League
Bernardo stars again as Man City move top with Watford win
04/12/2021 AT 16:36
