{"id":25731,"date":"2022-04-05T17:13:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-05T21:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25731"},"modified":"2022-04-06T12:26:12","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T16:26:12","slug":"de-bruynes-late-strike-put-manchester-city-in-the-driving-seat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25731","title":{"rendered":"De Bruyne’s Late Strike Put Manchester City In The Driving Seat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Kevin De Bruyne celebrates (PA Wire\/PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kevin De Bruyne struck 20 minutes from time as Manchester City grabbed a slender advantage in their Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belgian playmaker fired home from a tight angle after Phil Foden came off the bench to stunning effect in a tense and tight first leg at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atletico were their usual dogged, defensive selves for most of the game and frustrated City despite the hosts\u2019 dominance of possession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet the introduction of Foden as part of a triple substitution by Pep Guardiola in the 68th minute paid almost immediate dividends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within moments he had slipped in De Bruyne with a delicate through ball and he finished firmly to put City in control heading into next week\u2019s second leg in the Spanish capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atletico boss Diego Simeone had promised Atletico would play their usual cagey game and he was as good as his word, forcing City to play patiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first half was played at a slow tempo with City controlling most of the ball but, despite having all their outfield players in the final third at times, being unable to create openings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

De Bruyne and Joao Cancelo both had efforts deflected wide and Aymeric Laporte missed the target with a header.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raheem Sterling felt he should have had a free-kick on the left edge of the area after a good run and Bernardo Silva went down in the box moments later but nothing was given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ilkay Gundogan shot well over and Rodri had a long-range effort blocked before De Bruyne had a penalty appeal turned down and John Stones also missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet still City were not greatly threatening and it was not until the second half they tried to inject more pace into their play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This did open the game up slightly and Atletico almost capitalized with a couple of breaks from deep. Antoine Griezmann wasted one opening with a poor pass and Marcos Llorente chipped tamely at Ederson from another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet it was a move that paid off as City began to threaten more. Gundogan had an effort deflected wide and City\u2019s first serious chance came when De Bruyne forced Jan Oblak to save a low free-kick. Laporte then went close when he headed over from a corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

City appealed for another penalty for a push by Reinildo on Sterling as he attempted to latch onto a De Bruyne through ball but referee Istvan Kovacs was not interested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That proved Sterling\u2019s final involvement as Guardiola took him off in the move that changed the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His decision paid off as Foden, who came on alongside Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus, teed up De Bruyne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

De Bruyne was quick to latch onto the opportunity and drilled a low shot past Oblak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foden created another chance for De Bruyne soon after following a tricky run to the byline but this time Atletico had enough players back to block.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atletico then became the frustrated side and the game became scrappy and niggly before finally ending after several stoppages.<\/p>\n

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