by Six out of six. Eighteen out of eighteen. Manchester City won all the games and all the points in the group stage and will enter the round of 16, warning that the champion is willing to revalidate title. Pep Guardiola’s men, with a team full of substitutes, conquered the ‘little Maracaná’ against a Red Star that sold its skin dearly. Nobody played anything. the young man Micah Hamilton, author of the 0-1 score and who caused the 1-3 penalty, was the great figure of the match on the day of his debut with the first team.
The 20-year-old English attacker was the least known face of an eleven that even included Kalvin Phillips, who never enters Pep’s plans. Both took advantage of the opportunity, the first assuming the most unbalancing role in the attack and the second taking responsibility for the penalty that ended the duel. Hamilton, in the first arrival with the face and eyes of a fast-paced game, left his pair with a bicycle and shot Glazer by the short post..
Nedeljkovic responded for the Red Star after a great choral action that culminated with a left-footed shot that licked the wood. Little more in the first part where the negative note was Jack Grealish, the most recognizable figure who started the game, but who was replaced at half-time due to some discomfort in his side that made the first 45 minutes bitter. Foden entered for his compatriot.
The second act started with two clear Mancunian arrivals, one again from Hamilton and another in a Chilean attempt by Nunes. That did not intimidate Barak Bakhar’s men, who had two very clear ones in the boots of Ndiaye and Kang, but who Ortega aborted with two major interventions.
City seemed to decide the game with Bobb’s goal on the hour mark, another element of the ‘baby’ version that the team showed today. Rico Lewis dragged two defenders and the young Englishman advanced meters before finishing with the inside towards the base of the long post. Great goal.
Mijatovic threatened to make it 1-2 with a shot against the woodwork that was the prelude to Hwang In-Beom’s goal, assisted by a great movement from Bukari. City’s defense was very slow, and it showed more shortcomings in added time when Katai headed in unopposed after getting rid of Sergio Gómez. Fortunately for them, shortly before Philips had put another goal away with a very well executed penalty that forced Hamilton after a clear grab by Djiga..
