Manchester Metropolis saved themselves from an embarrassing early Champions League exit with three second-half objectives to beat Membership Brugge 3-1 on Wednesday and progress to the play-off spherical.
The Belgian champions have been on the right track to ship Metropolis packing earlier than the knockout levels for the primary time since 2012 when Raphael Onyedika fired the guests into the lead simply earlier than half-time.
Metropolis wanted all three factors after profitable simply two of their opening seven matches within the competitors’s new format and turned it round simply in time.
Mateo Kovacic levelled from the sting of the field earlier than the unlucky Joel Ordonez turned in Josko Gvardiol’s cross.
Substitute Savinho then drilled within the third to ease the nerves of Pep Guardiola, who anxiously prowled the touchline all through and was booked for protesting in the direction of the officers.
The drama on the Etihad on a nervous evening started earlier than the motion even obtained underway as a merchandise stand caught hearth on the perimeter of the stadium shortly earlier than the groups arrived.
Brugge travelled to Manchester unbeaten in 21 video games and weren’t daunted by the duty that confronted them in opposition to a diminished model of the English champions.
Metropolis had misplaced 10 occasions because the guests’ earlier defeat and made a tentative begin, with Christos Tzolis a continuing menace for Brugge.
Metropolis slowly warmed to their process as Ilkay Gundogan slotted dwelling however was flagged offside from Bernardo Silva’s header.
However Brugge remained a persistent risk on the counter-attack and obtained their reward simply earlier than half-time.
Tzolis was once more the creator because the Greek’s cross was this time swept dwelling by Onyedika.
Guardiola responded by introducing Savinho for Gundogan on the break in what proved to be an impressed change as Metropolis posed way more attacking risk within the second interval.
John Stones headed huge an excellent likelihood to equalise simply seconds after the restart.
Kovacic then supplied much-needed drive from the Metropolis midfield because the Croatian powered ahead and slotted in from the sting of the field to degree on 53 minutes.
However within the 9 minutes between Metropolis’s first and second objectives, Brugge might have despatched the 2023 champions to an early exit.
Tzolis fired too near Ederson, drilled a shot inches huge and was prevented one other clear sight of purpose by Gvardiol’s last-ditch intervention with a hat-trick of huge probabilities.
On the different finish, it was Brugge who did the onerous work for Metropolis as Gvardiol’s low cross was became his personal web by Ordonez.
Guardiola furiously kicked a water field throughout his celebration.
The Metropolis boss’ temper was not helped when Erling Haaland wasted his one big likelihood of the night as Simon Mignolet saved a one-on-one and Savinho’s follow-up effort was cleared off the road by Brandon Mechele.
However Guardiola was lastly capable of supply a smile of reduction 13 minutes from time when Savinho took down Stones’ cross on his chest and blasted in his first Champions League purpose.
Guardiola even embraced his counterpart Nicky Hayen earlier than the match completed as the 2 exchanged a handshake throughout stoppage time.
However the Metropolis supervisor can be beneath no illusions that his aspect will should be significantly better if they’re to have aspirations of conquering Europe once more within the coming months.
kca/nf
