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Match Report and Player Ratings: BSC Young Boys 1-3 Manchester City (UEFA Champions League Group Stage)

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22:22

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Manchester City showed their class and remained top of Group G, following their 1-3 victory away to Young Boys at the Wankdorf stadium in Switzerland.

Facing a squad desperate for a result with a packed out stadium to back them, with an interesting change on the artificial grass, Manchester City travelled to Young Boys in an attempt to extend their lead at the top of the table in Group G of the Champions League.

The Blues carved out a couple of early chances making their presence felt from the get go, as Rodri misguided a free header wide of the post, before Matheus Nunes couldn’t keep his effort down from the middle of the box after being teed up by Grealish.

A period of possesional dominance followed the early chances before City came close again, as Manuel Akanji slipped Haaland in who couldn’t make the net bulge, forcing a save from the on-rushing goalkeeper.

It was the first of two huge chances to open the scoring for Manchester City, as Jeremy Doku came close a minute later, being released inside the penalty area, geeing past his man before fortuitously for the home side slipping at the crucial moment.

City continued to probe the Young Boys goal, this time through Grealish, who fired a shot at the goalkeeper who spilt it straight to Matheus Nunes, but his effort was cleared off the line crucially to keep the scores level.

The threat of the home side did remain however, as Lauper broke through against the run of play, before being stopped crucially by Nathan Ake, denying the midfielder before he could get a shot away.

A well worked corner from the home side caused more concern for the Pep Guardiola’s side, as Cedric Itten found himself unmarked in the box, however his looping header couldn’t beat Ederson as it dropped just over the bar.

City refound their feet following the half chances from the home side, as Doku forced another save out of Racioppi after a bending effort threatened the far corner.

Once again Racioppi was called into action, as Nunes’ corner found the feet of Rodri this time, as his effort needed saving by the goalkeeper who denied the Spaniard with a strong right leg.

That was all in the first half as the home side miraculously found themselves on level terms at the break, as neither team managed to break the deadlock.

City came out sharp in the second half and finally forced the breakthrough, with Akanji being the unlikely scorer, after Ruben Dias’ headed effort was forced onto the bar by Racioppi, before the Swiss man tapped home to give City a deserved lead.

However, the home side would respond instantly, when Meschack Elia broke through against the run of play, before lofting the ball deftly over the on rushing Ederson who wasn’t helped by his defenders, being left helpless as the home side equalised.

It was the away side who unsurprisingly took control of the game following the equaliser in an attempt to restore their lead, with Nunes and Haaland threatening the Young Boys goal.

Manchester City were awarded a penalty on 65 minutes after Rodri was brought down in the area. Haaland stepped up to the spot and lashed the ball into the goal, restoring City’s lead and scoring his first goal in the competition this season.

City didn’t rest on their laurels as they continued to trouble the goalkeeper, with Haaland once again in the right position, but the Norwegian was unable to convert after Doku flashed the ball across the goal for him.

Haaland again threatened after being slipped in behind, attempting to round the goalkeeper before getting the ball caught under his feet, before forcing another save from Racioppi who stayed on his feet and managed to thwart the danger.

Another slick City move almost had the perfect ending, as Bernardo Silva picked the ball up out wide before firing a shot which just nestled wide of the left post.

But the quality would soon prevail for the Blues, as Haaland picked the ball up on the edge of the box, firing a shot on his right foot past Racioppi, extending the lead and closing the scoring on the night.

It was an impressive display in Switzerland by the Blues, and with that being said, here’s how we rated the players following the 1-3 victory over Young Boys in the Champions League!

Player Ratings:

Ederson – 7

Some tidy distribution as well as a couple of important saves from the Brazilian, who was left stranded by his defence for the Young Boys equaliser.

Lewis – 7

Another incredibly mature performance from Lewis on the European stage, with the teenager slotting ably into midfield alongside Rodri when needed.

Akanji – 7.5

Scorer of City’s opener, it was a tidy performance by Akanji, who showed his experience in his homeland. Akanji will miss Sunday’s clash with Manchester United through suspension, after being shown a red against Brighton.

Dias – 7

A typically calm and composed outing from Dias, who was perhaps unlucky not to be the scorer of City’s first, as his header was saved onto the bar before being tapped home by Akanji.

Ake – 6.5

Similar to Dias, Ake had a tidy performance in Switzerland, this time playing on the left of the back four for the blues.

Rodrigo – 8.5

City felt the loss of Rodri following his suspension on all fronts, so it’s no surprise his return has seen a positive difference in results . It was another classy outing by the Spaniard, dictating play from the middle of the park in typically magical fashion.

Kovacic – 7

A fine outing by Kovacic who was a part of the midfield three that dominated proceedings.

Nunes – 7.5

Nunes put on a classy display at the Wankdorf Stadium, with the Portuguese man helping run the show in the middle of the park.

Doku – 6.5

It didn’t quite happen for Doku who didn’t grow into the game like he usually does. A quiet night for the Belgian man.

Haaland – 8.5 (MOTM)

Scorer of two City goals, it was a relief for Haaland who found himself scoring in the Champions League for the first time this season. An excellent display from the Norwegian.

Grealish – 6

A tame performance from Grealish tonight though not through a lack of trying, which is perhaps the architecture of his own downfall at times, with the winger often trying too hard to create.

Substitutes:

Silva – 6.5

Having a shot that narrowly missed the target, it was a decent display from Bernardo Silva following his introduction after 80 minutes.

Alvarez – 7

The Argentine was unlucky not to be on the scoresheet just one minute after entering the field, as his goal was denied by VAR following a handball from Grealish.

Phillips – N/A

Gomez – N/A

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