STER CRAZY,
After VAR controversies and a red card, Raheem settles mad tie with late, late goal
RAHEEM STERLING scored in the last minute on a dramatic night in Germany as City came from behind with 10 men.
Pep Guardiola had been left fuming after VAR, two penalties, and a red card appeared to have left City’s quarter-final hopes in the balance.
But a magnificent late free-kick from sub Leroy Sane five minutes
from time pulled City level against a team struggling in 14th in the Bundesliga. And with time running out, Sterling stole in to finish coolly and give City an advantage to take back to the Etihad.
Sane, who scored against the side that sold him to City, said: “I was a little bit sad for Schalke because the atmosphere was amazing like it always is. Schalke did really well, the way they defended made it difficult.
“At the end we did it, we scored three goals away – that was the most important thing. We never give up, we always want to keep fighting.” After taking the lead through Sergio
Aguero, City were frustrated by a disastrous series of events.
First, City were pegged back when referee Carlos del Cerro Grande reversed a corner by review to award the home side a penalty instead.
Nabil Bentaleb (above) scored and seven minutes later he sent Schalke ahead – again from the spot – after Fernandinho had been penalised for pulling down Salif Sane.
And if Guardiola thought things could only get better, that idea turned sour midway through the second half when Nicolas Otamendi received a second yellow for a foul on Guido Burgstaller.
But in a season where City have shown their steel, Guardiola’s players refused to give in.
Not that City should be too proud of themselves, Schalke have won only six of 22 Bundesliga games this season. And they had only two shots on target the whole game, both from the penalty spot.
But coming back from 2-1 down with only 10 men is still an achievement. Sterling, who scored the winner, said City need to improve in the second leg. “It was a really tough game. We made it difficult for ourselves but we stuck together, even with 10 men,” he said.
“But this tie is very much open. We have to do better than we did tonight.”