Man City vs Club Brugge LIVE: Hosts qualify for Champions League knockout rounds with win solid win
Man City 3-1 Club Brugge: Pep Guardiola’s side had to win to stay in the competition
Manchester City pulled off a great escape to qualify for the Champions League play-off round on tense and nervous evening at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s men came into the match sitting 25th in the league and knew that only victory would be enough to send them into the knockout rounds. Club Brugge, fighting for a place in the next stage themselves, set up with a low block and frustrated City from the start.
The visitors were also lightning quick on the counter attack and were the more threatening side in the first half. Ardon Jashari sent them ahead on the break with a fine first-time strike and City needed to respond.
Pep Guardiola brought on Savinho who was electric and direct. After Mateo Kovacic equalised with a fantastic individual effort, Savinho played a hand in the next two goals – firstly setting up Josko Gvardiol to force in an own goal before bringing down John Stones’ cross and slotting home himself.
With a two-goal cushion, the players, the fans and the manager relaxed and City – by the barest of margins – got the job done.
Relive the updates from the Etihad Stadium in our live blog below:
Man City 0-0 Club Brugge
20 mins: A cross comes into the box from City and Erling Haaland peels off his marker at the back post.
He’s got a free header but decides to nod in into the middle of the box instead of going for goal.
Club Brugge clear their lines.
Man City 0-0 Club Brugge
Disallowed!
16 mins: Man City get the ball into the back of the net first.
Matheus Nunes darts down the right side and gets up to the box as the ball is played into him.
He slips the ball across to Ilkay Gundogan who curls it into the bottom corner but the celebrations are cut short.
There’s an offside in the build up.
'John Stones is a unique player'
“An early illustration of why John Stones is a unique player.
“He has strolled into midfield, looking effortlessly at ease as he has reprised the hybrid role that was such a key factor when City won the Champions League two years ago.
“However, while they have dominated possession so far, with 78 percent of the ball in the first 14 minutes, Brugge have had few alarms.
“They have an excellent defensive record in this competition - unlike City.”
Man City 0-0 Club Brugge
15 mins: Shot!
Phil Foden finds a touch of space on the left side of the box again.
This time he rolls the ball onto his favoured left foot and strikes an effort at goal.
He hits it sweetly but the effort sails wide.
Man City 0-0 Club Brugge
12 mins: Gvardiol comes forward on the left and cuts inside.
City send the ball back out to Phil Foden who collects it in the box then spins away and misplaces a backwards pass.
Manuel Akanji jogs back to collect the ball.
Man City 0-0 Club Brugge
9 mins: A cross comes in from the right from Kevin De Bruyne but Brandon Mechele leaps and nods it away.
City need to move the ball a lot quicker but they’ll be pleased about settling the game a little after some early counter-attacks.
Man City 0-0 Club Brugge
6 mins: City were practicing crosses in the warm-up tonight and have sent the ball over to the right wing a few times already.
Brugge recover the ball and switch the play out to Talbi on the right.
He is quick and drives at Gvardiol who holds him up. Talbi swings in a cross but Ederson plucks the ball out of the air.
Man City 0-0 Club Brugge
3 mins: Man City will want to control the ball and put pressure on Brugge who will drop into a low block when out of possession.
Chance!
Brugge sweep forward on the counter attack with Christos Tzolis bombing down the left. He pulls the ball into the box and finds Chemsdine Talbi who shoots and has his effort blocked by Josko Gvardiol.
Kick off! Man City 0-0 Club Brugge
Club Brugge kick off the match and send the ball back to Brandon Mechele.
He works it over to the left wing where the ball goes out of play and City win a throw in.
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