Good evening and welcome to Nigerianeye's live text coverage of the Champions League quarter-final first leg between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium.
The hosts come into this match with a slender advantage at the halfway stage of the tie having held PSG to a 2-2 draw in the first leg at the Parc des Princes last week.
However, City have never made it through to the semi-finals of this competition before, while the visitors are bidding for a first appearance in the last four since 1995.
It promises to be a special occasion for whichever team comes out on top, and you can follow every twist and turn with our minute-by-minute coverage below.
OFFICIAL LINE-UP
MAN CITY STARTING XI: Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Clichy; Fernando, Fernandinho, Navas, Silva, De Bruyne; Aguero
MAN CITY SUBS: Caballero, Iheanacho, Bony, Toure, Delph, Kolarov, Zabaleta
PSG STARTING XI: Trapp; Van der Wiel, Aurier, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Maxwell; Thiago Motta, Rabiot; Cavani, Ibrahimović, Di MarÃa
PSG SUBS: Sirigu, Kimpembe, Stambouli, Lucas, Kurzawa, Pastore, Ongenda
Thank you very much for joining Nigerianeye for tonight's historic match for Man City. From me, it is goodbye for now!
City book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time ever courtesy of a 1-0 win over PSG this evening, sealing a 3-2 victory on aggregate. PSG were so disappointing this evening, but City certainly deserve their place in the last four over the two legs.
90+3 min MANCHESTER CITY ARE INTO THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!
90+3 min FULL TIME: Manchester City 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain
90+3 min MAN CITY SUB: A third and final change for the hosts sees Aguero replaced by Kelechi Iheanacho.
90+1 min There will be three added minutes at the end of this match.
89 min It is getting very close to celebration time for Man City tonight, and they deserve it. Everyone expected PSG to win this tie, and certainly to score tonight to ask serious questions of Pellegrini's side, but they have upset the odds here.
87 min MAN CITY SUB: Another change for the home side sees Fabian Delph replace Silva.
86 min DISALLOWED GOAL! PSG think that they have given themselves a lifeline as Ibrahimovic tucks away Maxwell's cross from close range. However, his celebrations are quickly cut short by the linesman's flag, which is correctly raised.
84 min MAN CITY SUB: De Bruyne gets a standing ovation as he departs to be replaced by Yaya Toure.
83 min Important defending from Marquinhos as he slides in to turn Navas's cross behind with Aguero lurking behind him.
82 min A reminder that PSG now need two goals to progress tonight, which makes that Hart save all the more important. Had he not kept that out then it would have been very nervy for City.
80 min CHANCE! Big chance for PSG to get a goal back as Cavani is slid through down the left channel. He advances into the box, but Hart comes flying off his line to close the gap and makes an important save to deny the Uruguayan.
80 min UPDATE: Cristiano Ronaldo has completed yet another hat-trick for Real Madrid to give them a 3-0 lead at the Bernabeu and a 3-2 lead on aggregate. As things stand, they will be joining City in the last four.
78 min CLOSE! City go in search of a quickfire second as Aguero comes forward, but he slips while striking the ball from 25 yards and his strike flies a couple of yards wide.
76 min GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 PSG (Kevin de Bruyne)
74 min City are still pushing for a goal of their own, which would give them a very handy a cushion with only 15 minutes remaining. One for the hosts would mean that PSG would need two to progress.
72 min YELLOW CARD! Fernandinho becomes the first City player in the book for an untidy challenge on Pastore. No complaints there.
70 min City are now just 20 minutes away from the Champions League semi-finals, but even though PSG have been so disappointing tonight, you'd expect them to create another good chance before full time.
68 min YELLOW CARD! Van der Wiel joins Pastore in the book for a naughty raking challenge from behind on De Bruyne.
67 min YELLOW CARD! Pastore goes into the book just six minutes after coming on for a sliding challenge on Fernandinho.
65 min CHANCE! Big chance for PSG as Silva escapes his marker from a corner. He is in space and rises to meet it well, but he nods it into the ground and Hart is able to turn it over.
63 min Things are only going to get more tense over this final half an hour for City. They have been comfortable all night so far, particularly from open play, but it takes just one chance for PSG to turn this game on its head.
61 min PSG SUB: Aurier has had a bit of a shocker tonight, and he makes way here to be replaced by Javier Pastore, which should also see a switch back to PSG's normal formation. Blanc's gamble has not worked tonight.
60 min CHANCE! Decent opening for City from a corner as Fernando manages to get the better of Marquinhos in the middle to get his head to the ball. However, he heads it down into the ground and wide of the target.
58 min Good chance for City to break as Aguero brings down a high ball from De Bruyne brilliantly on the touchline. Navas then picks it up, but he slows the attack down and City lose their momentum.
56 min Good spell of pressure from City as they halt what had been a positive start to the second half from PSG. This tie is still right in the balance, with one goal for PSG changing the dynamic of things completely.
54 min PSG have the ball in the back of the net, but the flag is raised a long time before Lucas applies the finish. Maxwell was the man offside down the left flank before playing a low pass across goal that Lucas
52 min Hart is called into action again here, but it is a routine gather from Van der Wiel's cross. PSG worked it well down the right, but the low ball into the middle was too close to the keeper.
50 min Ibrahimovic has fired in two really good free kicks, but Hart would have been disappointed to let either in and he hasn't been tested otherwise. This has been a very below-par performance from the visitors so far.
48 min SAVE! It is another thunderbolt from Ibrahimovic which bends around the wall, but Hart is there again to parry it away. Important stop from the City keeper!
47 min Free kick in a very dangerous position for PSG here as Fernandinho brings down Cavani. This is closer than Ibrahimovic's first-half effort, and the Swede is standing over it again...
46 min KICKOFF: Manchester City get us back underway for the second half, with just 45 minutes separating them from the semi-finals of the Champions League as things stand.
The referee brings an end to the first half at the Etihad Stadium, and it is as you were for City and PSG. The second leg remains goalless, which means that the aggregate scoreline is still 2-2 with City on course for the semi-finals via away goals. Man City will be the happier of the two teams at this stage having created the better chances and limited PSG to just one long-range strike.
45+3 min HALF TIME: Manchester City 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain
45+1 min There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this first half.
44 min PSG SUB: Indeed, Motta doesn't even last until half time as he is replaced by Lucas Moura.
42 min There is concern for Motta here as he clutches his hamstring and limps off for treatment. It looks as though he will try to run it off, but that doesn't usually work with muscle injuries. I would be surprised if he came back out for the second half.
40 min CHANCE! Sloppy play from PSG gifts Man City a good shooting chance here, but it falls to the wrong man. The visitors win the ball back deep inside their own half, but quickly gift it back to City through a loose Aurier pass. Navas picks it up just outside the area, but he curls his shot a couple of yards wide when he should have hit the target.
39 min Both teams have enjoyed spells on top in this half so far, and right now it is Man City's turn. They will be happy with how this game is going at the moment.
37 min The stretcher comes on for the striker, but he is back on his feet and slowly limps off. It looks like he'll try to continue here, which is great news for the home side.
36 min There is concern over Aguero for City here as he lands awkwardly and goes down clutching his knee. He has been in the wars already tonight, and this one looks to be the most painful of the lot.
32 min City seem to have reacted to that missed penalty fairly well. They were on top in the build-up to the award of the spot kick, and have retained that control over the game. It will be a disappointment for the hosts, but as things stand they are still the team progressing.
32 min City seem to have reacted to that missed penalty fairly well. They were on top in the build-up to the award of the spot kick, and have retained that control over the game. It will be a disappointment for the hosts, but as things stand they are still the team progressing.
30 min Oh what a big moment that could prove to be! City are awarded a penalty as Aguero races into the box and gets to the ball before Trapp, who proceeds to clean the Argentine out. It is a stone-waller, and the big decision then for the ref is whether it is a red card or not. Trapp is only shown a yellow, though, and PSG are handed another let-off when Aguero puts his penalty wide of the target! It is a glorious opportunity missed for the hosts!
30 min MISSED!
29 min PENALTY TO MAN CITY!
28 min Good work from Van der Wiel down the right flank, selling Clichy a dummy to creat time and space to cross. His resulting delivery is really poor, though, and goes all the way out for a throw in on the other side.
26 min The initial delivery is dealt with, but De Bruyne then threads a pass through to Silva in the left channel. He looks up and tries to pull the ball back for Sagna in space, but Van der Wiel makes an important interception.
25 min It's been better over the past few minutes for City, and it has all come from them increasing the tempo of things, both on and off the ball. They win a free kick in a good crossing position here...
23 min CLOSE! Another close one from Aguero here as City catch Ibrahimovic in possession inside the PSG half and immediately give it to the Argentine. He tries to arrow a shot into the bottom corner from 25 yards, but his dipping strike bounces narrowly wide.
23 min CHANCE! City have their first sight of goal as they sweep forward and up the tempo of the match. De Bruyne exchanges passes with Silva before sliding a pass down the left channel for Aguero, whose strike from a tight angle is wide of the near post.
21 min Pellegrini promised that City would play their usual attacking game tonight, but that hasn't been the case so far. They are very much on the back foot and seem pretty content with it. It is a dangerous game to try to contain this PSG side, though.
19 min UPDATE: Real Madrid have already wiped out that first-leg deficit against Wolfsburg, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice in as many minutes to give his side a 2-0 lead on the night and level things up at 2-2 on aggregate.
17 min SAVE! It is a fabulous strike from Ibrahimovic as he smashes a powerful, curling effort towards goal that Hart needs to tip over. That was almost a worldie from the Swede, who has done little else in the opening stages of the match.
16 min Half a chance for PSG here as Fernandinho brings Rabiot down to concede a free kick around 30 yards from goal. It is right on the edge of shooting range, but Ibrahimovic looks like he fancies it...
14 min So far the City defence has coped comfortably with everything that has come their way. Ibrahimovic has barely had a kick so far, and neither goalkeeper has been tested yet.
12 min PSG are just bossing possession at the moment, and while Man City can allow the visitors to see a lot of the ball as long as it is not hurting them, I expected them to come out of the blocks a bit quicker than this. If they're happy to chase the ball for the entire game then they are sure to tire sooner or later.
10 min Aguero does look to win the ball back high up the field here, sliding in on Di Maria. However, he is the wrong side to make the challenge and, while he does get a foot on the ball, the referee awards a free kick.
8 min The visitors' latest passing move sees them eventually find a gap and Di Maria looks to poke it through to Cavani, but he puts just too much on it and Hart collects.
7 min Good spell of possession for PSG as they begin to settle into the game and knock the ball about nicely. City seem happy enough to just contain them in the middle third without really pushing on to win it back.
5 min Man City have made a good, lively start to this match. They look eager to get a goal early and really get the home fans behind them at what is a packed Etihad Stadium tonight.
3 min The first thing to note is that PSG have gone for three at the back, with Van der Wiel and Maxwell acting as the full-backs. Aurier is in an unfamiliar central role, and it appears as though PSG have gone for three up front too. Very interesting switch of tactics from Laurent Blanc.
1 min KICKOFF: Here we go then! PSG get us underway at the Etihad but it is Man City who are straight on the attack, making a bright start to the game.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete