Football news - Leroy Sane bags brace as Manchester City overcome Hoffenheim scare
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ByEurosport
Updated 12/12/2018 at 23:09 GMT
Champions League, Group F, Etihad Stadium - Manchester City 2 Hoffenheim 1
Leroy Sane of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides first goal with Gabriel Jesus during the UEFA Champions League Group F match between Manchester City and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at Etihad Stadium on December 12, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom
Image credit: Getty Images
Leroy Sane scored twice as Manchester City came from behind to beat Hoffenheim 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Missing several key players through injury, Pep Guardiola was forced into a raft of changes, but it was regular Aymeric Laporte who was caught sleeping in defence and conceded an early penalty which former Leicester player Andrej Kramaric confidently converted.
City's response was admirable, however, with Gabriel Jesus and Nicolas Otamendi both seeing efforts crash off the woodwork before Sane levelled with a simply sensational free-kick from 30 yards out on the stroke of half-time.
After the restart, the hosts only grew in confidence and they spurned a couple of gilt-edged chances before Sane bagged his brace after a textbook City counter-attack.
Young Englishman Phil Foden was handed a rare start and almost capped an impressive performance with a fine goal, but Guardiola's side had to settle for just the two goals on the night.
The result confirms City as the winners of Group F, with their place in the knockout stages having already been secured earlier in the campaign. Lyon finish as runners-up in the pool after their 1-1 draw at Shakhtar Donetsk, meaning Hoffenheim are left bottom of the pile.
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Leroy Sané
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT - Sizzing Sane makes his mark
No German player had scored against German opposition in the Champions League since Mesut Ozil against Bayern Munich in October 2015, but with a point to prove against his compatriots Leroy Sane made his mark with a brilliant brace.
The 22-year-old has had a strained relationship with international manager Joachim Low and was, of course, left out of the World Cup squad. He has since returned to the fold, scoring against Russia in November, and the flying front-man reinforced his qualities to his countrymen with an emphatic performance as City sealed top spot in the pool.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Leroy Sane (Man City)
Levelled the game with a free-kick you could watch again and again. Power, pace and precision. Scored City's second to give them the lead and probably should have had a couple more. It was the complete attacking performance.
PLAYER RATINGS
Man City: Ederson 7, Laporte 6, Stones 5, Otamendi 6, Zinchenko 6, Gundogan 7, Foden 7, Sane 9, Bernardo 6, Sterling 8, Jesus 7. Subs: Walker 6, Kompany N/A, Delph 5.
Hoffenheim: Baumann 7, Geiger 5, Nuhu 6, Hubner 7, Kaderabek 5, Grillitsch 6, Bittencourt 6, Schulz 6, Brenet 5, Kramaric 8, Joelinton 5. Subs: Nelson 6, Amiri 5, Belfodil 5.
KEY MOMENTS
16' - GOAL! Man City 0-1 Hoffenheim: Kramaric won't be denied this time. Almost opened the scoring a couple of minutes ago, the Croatian steps up confidently and slots it coolly down the middle. Ederson dives to his right and doesn't get close to it.
19' - OFF THE POST! Jesus, so desperate for a goal, meets Sane's corner deliver but can only watch on as his header cannons off the left-hand post.
35' - OFF THE CROSSBAR! For the second time this evening City are denied by the woodwork! Gundogan hammers in the resulting free-kick delivery, Otamendi gets a deft touch with his head and it whacks off the crossbar before bouncing to safety.
45'+1 - GOAL! Man City 1-1 Hoffenheim: OH MY! What a strike from Sane! It's a sensational free-kick from 30 yards out! The German gets plenty of dip and curl in his effort, whips it around the wall and into the top corner. Precision. This is really special.
55' - HOW HAVE CITY NOT SCORED?! City successfully defend a corner and suddenly Sterling finds himself clean through from 10 yards outside his own area! He runs the length of the pitch, squares it for Sane who knocks it back for Bernardo Silva, but Baumann saves with his feet. Talk about trying to walk the ball into the net!
61' - GOAL! Man City 2-1 Hoffenheim: There it is! City score from a textbook counter-attacking move from Hoffenheim's corner. Sane leads the charge, plays it to Sterling, makes the run in anticipation of the return pass, receives it and sticks it past Baumann from close range.
76' - WHAT A STRIKE! Beautiful technique from Foden. He watches Sterling's cross all the way and lands a first-time volley at goal. Baumann has to be at full-stretch to make the save.
KEY STATS
- Leroy Sane is the first German player to score against German opposition in the Champions League since Mesut Ozil against Bayern Munich in October 2015.
- Manchester City have conceded three penalty goals at home in all competitions this season - as many as they had in 2016-17 and 2017-18 combined.
- This match was the 100th clash of English and German teams in Champions League history.
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