Man City 1-0 Inter (Rodri 68′)
Manchester City have sealed their first Champions League title and a historic Treble with a hard fought 1-0 win over Inter.
Rodri’s second-half strike means City become just the second English side to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Europe’s top competition in the same season following arch rivals Manchester United in 1999.
City entered the final in Istanbul as hot favourites after conquering all before them this season but were frustrated for long spells against their dogged Italian opponents and had to rely on some late heroics from goalkeeper Ederson at the death.
Man City lead in the Champions League final!!
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) June 10, 2023
Rodri breaks the deadlock to score a massive goal for his club!#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/DyTitSzOyu
They started the night brightly enough and went close twice early on, with Erling Haaland firing over from close range and Bernardo Silva shaving the white paint of the upright with a curled shot from a tight angle.
But after that their usually silky football was stifled by a well-organised Inter side who pressed high and energetically.
With humidity and the Ataturk Stadium’s wide pitch sapping the pace out of the game, City grew frustrated and their night took a turn for the worse when Kevin De Bruyne was forced off with a hamstring strain.
It was the second time a Champions League final had ended prematurely for De Bruyne after he suffered nose and facial injuries in a collision with Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger in 2021.
With Rodri and captain Ilkay Gundogan struggling to dictate in midfield, Pep Guardiola had some thinking to do as the first half fizzled out at 0-0.
But the first change after the break came from opposite number Simone Inzaghi, who brought Romelu Lukaku on to replace former City striker Edin Dzeko.
City then almost gifted Inter the lead and had Ederson to thank after he saved from Lautaro Martinez who had pounced on a backwards pass that Manuel Akanji sloppily let slide.
Guardiola’s patience in his team was eventually rewarded as Silva was put through by Akanji and cut back for Rodri via a deflection.
With bodies strewn across the goalmouth, the midfielder powered a precise side-footed shot into the corner from 15 yards out to send City’s fans delirious.
Their work did not stop there however, with Federico Dimarco hitting the cross-bar moments later and Lukaku stinging Ederson’s palms.
How did Inter not equalise there!!
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) June 10, 2023
Federico Dimarco with two attempts to score but Romelu Lukaku is in the way!#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/uwBU0FAEz9
With Inter chasing, the game became more open and De Bruyne’s replacement Phil Foden had a glorious chance to double City’s lead but shot straight at Andre Onana.
City would have regretted that miss were it not for the razor sharp reactions of Ederson, who somehow managed to keep out a Lukaku header from point-blank range in the dying minutes before tipping over a header from Robin Gosens with the last touch of the game.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/meOvKwg
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