Piraeus. Greece (AP) – Phil Foden sent a reminder to Pep Guardiola of his ability to score by winning a 1-0 win at Olympiakos on Wednesday, securing a position in England’s Champions League playoff stages for the eighth consecutive season.
The highly rated 20-year-old striker is the emerging star of the City team, but has been unable to provide normal Premier League play time this season despite the team’s unknown difficulties in front of goal.
Guardiola gave Foden a start against the Greek champions in Piraeus and the England alien responded by sweeping the game’s purpose in the 36th minute after assembling a Raheem Sterling rear wheel with a first shot.
In a game that sometimes felt like an educational counter-defense attack exercise, City failed to make their dominance count in terms of goals, but allowed Olympiakos to enter the visitors’ penalty area, in the end heading for a victory that promises an end in the two most sensitive. Group C.
City has won all four matches so far in what, on paper, looks like one of the weakest teams in terms of overall quality. The team has never won the elite European festival despite the abundant expenses of its ownership in Abu Dhabi. , and Guardiola has not brought a team to the name since his triumphs with Barcelona in 2011.
“We’re playing a stage of organization, especially our two away games,” Guardiola said. “Twelve points, already classified, we will go out to finish first of course.
“I know it sounds simple when it happens, but it’s not. It’s because of the quality of the players they are. “
Olympiakos, who missed six regular starters for coronavirus or injuries, is in 3rd position with 3 points and is 3 from Porto, who plays on Wednesday against Marseille.
“We had so many players and it’s obvious tonight,” said Olympiakos coach Pedro Martins. “The City made things very complicated for us. It is unfair to me to point out that we had few opportunities because we did as productive as possible with what we had. . “
Foden has scored 4 goals for City in all competitions this season and has been the team’s brightest player in an empty stadium; however, he has only played 72 minutes in total in the last four Games of the City Premier League, starting on the bench for some of them.
Guardiola’s team failed to locate their offensive spark, scoring only 10 goals in eight league games, and the lag failed an advantage against Olympiakos. Being without Kevin De Bruyne at halftime didn’t help.
Keep her happier for the way she attacked City compared to the last few games.
“Unfortunately we were only able to score one goal, but the team is alive,” Guardiola said. “Today we were much more incredible, much more aggressive. It’s not simple (against a defense) with nine players, but our urgency is so good. “»
Bernardo Silva squandered the most productive of the other opportunities, sending the ball to goalkeeper José S. from close range in the middle of the moment. He also turned down Sterling twice before the break.
Sergio Aguero replaced City in the 78th minute in the first since 24 October after recovering from a hamr tendon injury.
A minute’s silence before kick-off in honor of Diego Maradona, the wonderful Argentine footballer who died on Wednesday at the age of 60.
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