BREN’S BOYS GET A PEP UP
Guardiola sees perfect run end
PEP GUARDIOLA’S winning start as Manchester City boss came to an end in a six-goal Champions League thriller at Parkhead last night.
Celtic restored some of their shattered pride after the 7-0 defeat by Barcelona in their opening Group C game by wrecking City’s hopes of an 11th straight win.
While Guardiola will be alarmed by seeing his team concede three goals for the first time since he took charge, he will be pleased that they showed the character to dig out a draw – especially as in their previous 10 games they had never been behind.
Stormed
They went behind three times last night, with former Fulham striker Moussa Dembele grabbing two while Raheem Sterling was debited with an own goal after deflecting Kieran Tierney’s shot past Claudio Bravo.
But each time, City stormed back to equalise, through Fernandinho, a brilliant effort from Sterling and Nolito.
And only a brilliant added-time save by Craig Gordon from Ilkay Gundogan denied them victory.
It was a special night for the Scottish champions – 50 years to the day since Kolarov’s long-range shot deflected into the path of Fernandinho who, with Celtic appealing in vain for offside, took a touch before tucking his shot low inside a post.
Celtic became the first side to score twice against Guardiola’s team this season when they regained the lead after 20 minutes.
City backed off as Tom Rogic surged forward before threading a pass through the defence for the overlapping Tierney to fire in via a big deflection off Sterling.
Spin
But back came City with Sterling scoring a brilliant goal at the other end.
David Silva dispossessed Brown in midfield and after exchanging passes with Gundogan, threaded a ball through for the England winger to spin past both Michael Lustig and Gordon to slide a shot home.
Celtic caught City cold again by taking the lead for the third time 80 seconds after the interval.
Kolarov made a hash of his attempted clearance from Tierney’s cross and Dembele, with his back to goal, controlled the ball on his thigh before spinning to volley home.
But once again City stormed back. Gordon twice saved form Nolito and also from Gundogan’s free-kick but in the 55th minute he was beaten.
A superb interchange between Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Silva resulted in the Argentine’s shot being parried by Gordon straight into the path of Nolito, who sidefooted into the empty net.
Aguero looked as if he might give City the lead for the first time but his goalbound header took a deflection off Sviatchenko and flew over the bar.
City took full control for the rest of the game but despite heavy pressure they couldn’t find their way to a winner with Fernandinho’s shot flying inches off over the bar before Gordon pulled off an instinctive save from Gundogan.
Gordon; Lustig, Toure, Sviatchenko, Tierney; Brown, Bitton; Sinclair, Rogic, Forrest; Dembele. Subs: de Vries, Simunovic, Griffiths, Gamboa, Armstrong, Roberts, McGregor.
Bravo; Zabaleta, Kolarov, Otamendi, Clichy; Fernadinho; Sterling, Gundogan, Silva, Nolito; Aguero. Subs: Caballero, Sagna, Fernando, Navas, Sane, Stones, Iheanacho.
Nicola Rizzoli (Italy).