Manchester City vs Basel. UEFA Champions League First Knockout Round.
Etihad StadiumAttendance49,411.
5-2
Thursday 8 March 2018 06:24, UK
Man City have sealed their spot in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 5-2 aggregate score, despite losing 2-1 to Basel in the second leg.
Pep Guardiola's side held a 4-0 advantage from the first tie in Switzerland three weeks ago, and it took Gabriel Jesus just seven minutes to open the scoring as he made his first start since New Year's Day.
But 10 minutes later, Mohamed Elyounoussi equalised for Basel on the night before Michael Lang added the second in the 71st minute.
It ended a run of 12 successive Champions League wins at the Etihad Stadium for City, although they will still be in next Friday's quarter-final draw thanks to the aggregate victory.
It did not take long for City to find the net as Jesus netted his first goal since November in the seventh minute. It was a superb team move as Leroy Sane strode towards goal before sliding a pass to Bernardo Silva on the right of the box. He, in turn, fizzed a ball across the face of goal which the unmarked Jesus met at the back post to tap home.
Ten minutes later, though, and Basel levelled things up on the night. Blas Riveros burst forward with his cross picking out Elyounoussi in the middle of the box. He was in space to set himself up before hammering home past Claudio Bravo.
The rest of the first half continued at a good pace, with both sides having chances to score the next goal. City could have added another on the half-hour mark as Ilkay Gundogan struck after a Sane cutback, but Leo Lacroix blocked with his body. Ten minutes later, and it could have been Basel ahead but Riveros' strike was straight into the hands of Bravo.
The second half was a much quieter affair, although it began with excitement. Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik came out of his box to try and clear a ball ahead of Jesus, but it pinged the wrong way off his foot and allowed the City striker to round him in an attempt to chase down the loose ball. But unfortunately, he could not quite get there as it went out of play.
The game was meandering until the 71st minute, when Lang gave Basel the lead on the night. It was Elyounoussi who was involved again, making a run down the right-hand side before rounding Yaya Toure to slip in Lang inside the area. The defender then arrowed an effort over the top of Bravo on the angle, seeing it hammer into the top far corner.
City did have one final chance to equalise on the night and add to their aggregate tally as substitute Brahim Diaz struck from the right-hand side of the area in the 80th minute, but Vaclik got down low to keep him out. However, another goal was not needed as the hosts booked their spot in the last eight.
It was another impressive performance from the forward who gave Lang all sorts of issues down the left-hand side in the first half and had a big hand in the opening goal. So much was his influence, he was double marked in the second half which dampened his influence somewhat, but he was still one of the best players on the field on Wednesday.
City are next in action on Monday Night Football when they travel to Stoke in the Premier League. Basel visit Luzern in the Swiss Super League on Sunday.
