Jesus puts skids under Swansea
YOUNG BRAZILIAN HAS HIT GROUND RUNNING Improving Welsh side leave Etihad with their heads held high.
Gabriel Jesus scored two goals, including an injury-time winner, as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City recorded a dramatic 2-1 victory over struggling Swansea City at the Etihad Stadium yesterday.
The home side looked in complete control during a dominant first-half showing only to surrender an 81st-minute equaliser to Gylfi Sigurdsson.
The Iceland international capitalised on some poor defending, collecting Luciano Narsingh’s pass, switching the ball to his left foot and scoring with a brilliant low drive from just outside the area.
But deep in injury time David Silva’s right-wing cross found Jesus and after his initial header had been saved by Lukasz Fabianski, the 19-year-old Brazilian tapped the rebound into an open goal.
Jesus, a January arrival from Palmeiras, had required just 11 minutes of his full home debut to score the first of what City supporters hope will be many goals for them.
The goal was created by the excellence of Silva, who beat defender Federico Fernandez along the byline before pulling the ball back towards Raheem Sterling.
Martin Olsson managed to block the England forward on the six-yard line, but Jesus reacted like lightning, pouncing on the loose ball and making no mistake with a close-range volley.
City’s first-half dominance was complete and Willy Caballero, continuing to deputise for the dropped Claudio Bravo in the home goal, had not one moment of concern.
The afternoon might have been put beyond the grasp of Swansea, showing signs of improvement under new manager Paul Clement, had referee Mike Dean judged that Alfie Mawson had fouled Jesus in the area on seven minutes.
Shortly after the goal, Yaya Toure almost doubled the lead from a 25-yard free-kick that was heading into the top left-hand corner until Fabianski made a superb diving save.
Fernandinho, playing at rightback, sent Sterling away and his cross was almost converted by Jesus, who was only denied by a fine piece of defending from Fernandez.
Sigurdsson threatened to equalise in the 49th minute with a magnificently struck free-kick that was kept out by a combination of the leaping Caballero’s right glove and his right-hand post. – AFP