Late Aguero header saves City blushes
The tall, tattooed 25-year-old rose to world No 1 in July last year following wins in Brisbane, Doha and Eastbourne. Reached Australian Open quarters in 2017 when was seeded five and is looking to go further this time around. Biggest weapon is her serve — she was the ace leader on the Tour last year, powering down 452 first service winners in 69 ties. MANCHESTER: Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero’s last-gasp header secured a 2-1 victory over Bristol City in League Cup semifinal first leg on Tuesday after the second-tier side had frustrated the Premier League leaders.
City, who have dished out a string of maulings in a stellar league campaign, found the Championship side a tough nut to crack and had to wait until the 92nd minute to grab the winner when Argentine substitute Aguero darted in to head home.
The visitors had opened the scoring with a penalty just before halftime after central defender John Stones had fouled Bobby Reid, who dispatched the spot kick with aplomb.
Kevin De Bruyne’s equaliser soon after the break turned the tide and City then laid siege to Bristol’s defence in the closing stages before Aguero’s goal gave n Australian-born Briton became one of the stories of Melbourne Park in 2016 after beating Venus Williams in the first round and reaching the semis, where she lost to eventual champ Angelique Kerber. Lost in the last eight in 2017 to Serena, who also went on to lift the title. Konta also reached last year’s Wimbledon semis but she then endured a slump in form with niggling injuries and dropped from fourth in the world to her current ninth. them a vital advantage ahead of the return leg in two weeks’ time.
“My players were fantastic because in football you can win, you can lose, but we try until the end. We win many games in the last minutes because we don’t give up,” City manager Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports.
The visitors had beaten four top flight sides en route to the semi-finals, including Manches- ter United in the last round, and were in no mood to lie down.
The hosts enjoyed the majority of early possession and came close to taking the lead when Bernardo Silva’s deflected effort rip- pled the side netting in the 15th minute.
Yet the Championship side looked threatening on the break and, after the hosts had their own penalty appeal turned down when Bailey Wright manhandled Stones, referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot at the other end.
City were almost level immediately but Raheem Sterling’s chipped effort was headed off the line and over by Aden Flint while the England winger was denied again when one-on-one with the keeper early in the second half.
The lead lasted until the 55th minute when De Bruyne drove forward and fed Sterling, who pulled the ball back for the Belgian to lash home.
With City squandering good chances. Guardiola summoned Aguero off the bench. It proved decisive as Silva dinked in a cross and the Argentine nipped in front of Fielding to power home a header from close range.