MANCHESTER, England (REUTERS) - Tottenham Hotspur reached the semi-finals of the Champions League on away goals after a 4-3 (aggregate 4-4) defeat to Manchester City in a breathtaking quarter-final second leg game on Wednesday (April 17).
Spurs, who won the first leg 1-0, will play Ajax Amsterdam for a place in the final against Liverpool or Barcelona after one of the most remarkable matches in the competition's history.
There were four goals in the opening 11 minutes of the game and non-stop action right up until the dramatic finale to an astonishing contest, when City had a stoppage time goal from Raheem Sterling, which would have sent them through, ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
City fans had celebrated what looked like the goal that sent them into the last four before the replay confirmed that Sergio Aguero was offside in the build-up.
It was a perfect example of the benefits of using technology but it was also cruel on Pep Guardiola's side who had been the stronger over the 90 minutes.
The contest exploded into life in the fourth minute when Sterling put City in front, receiving a ball from Kevin De Bruyne on the left flank and then cutting inside onto his right foot before beating Hugo Lloris with a beautiful, curling shot into the far corner.
Three minutes later though, Spurs drew level when City's French defender Aymeric Laporte's attempted clearance fell straight at the feet of Son Heung-min whose low shot flew in off the leg of City keeper Ederson.
Â
Laporte was also at fault for Spurs' second in the 10th minute when he gifted the ball to Lucas Moura, the Brazilian feeding Christian Eriksen who found Son, the South Korean finishing superbly into the far corner.
STRUCK AGAIN
City responded immediately, however, as Aguero fed Bernardo Silva and the Portuguese winger's left-foot shot deflected off Danny Rose and beat the wrong-footed Lloris to make it 2-2 on the night.
The dangerous Sterling struck again in the 21st minute to level the aggregate score, ghosting in at the back post to convert a low cross from De Bruyne that had zipped across the face of the goal.
A thundering strike from Aguero in the 59th minute put City in the driving seat again - the Argentine blasting in at Lloris's near post after a magnificent burst forward and perfectly weighted pass from De Bruyne.
City were stunned though in the 73rd minute when Spurs substitute Fernando Llorente bundled in a Kieran Trippier corner to restore the London club's advantage through away goals.
With officials unsure if the ball had bounced off the Spaniard's hand or rolled off his hip in the goalmouth scramble, VAR was called into action and the goal stood for Spurs.
Then came the stoppage time video torture for the home support - Aguero burst down the right flank and delivered a low cross for Sterling to slot home what would have been his hat-trick goal.
The VAR call was correct and the Premier League champions were out - to the delight of Mauricio Pochettino and his players who celebrated wildly in front of the travelling Spurs support.
Tottenham reach the last four in Europe's premier competition for the first time since the introduction of the Champions League format.
The London club reached the semi-final of the European Cup in 1962, losing to eventual winners Benfica.
As Jurgen said on Tuesday night, his team is a bunch of "fucking mentality monsters." It's that mentality and determination to get things right this time around that has them back in the Final. On its day, this Liverpool side is capable of accomplishing anything. They can right the past wrongs and can achieve new glories.
Is Jose Mourinho delivering on promises in his second Chelsea
A high roller, also referred to as a whale, is a gambler who consistently wagers large amounts of money. High rollers often receive lavish "comps" from casinos to lure them onto the gambling floors, such as free private jet transfers, limousine use and use of the casinos' best suites.
Used Books Under $4
AD
Thriftbooks.com/read-more-for-less
Report Ad
Find Your Favorite Books Online. Free Shipping Available. Shop Now!
A prominent Iranian politician on Tuesday called for players in the country's national football team to be punished for clashing with their Japanese opponents after losing in the Asia Cup semi-finals.
Call In Iran For Footballers To Be Punished Over Japan Melee
Portugal did not need Cristiano Ronaldo to go toe-to-toe with Virgil van Dijk as Bernardo Silva propelled them towards Nations League glory. More In the 28th minute it happened.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Portugal star appears unhappy after
Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Chelsea - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - December 16, 2018 Brighton's Solly March scores their first goal RE
Chelsea hold on against Brighton to consolidate top four spot
Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Arsenal teammates stated their determination Silverware matters most to Emery as Arsenal aim to win for missing Mkhitaryan the first and most important is to win a
Silverware matters most to Emery as Arsenal aim to win for
Hazard's Chelsea future in doubt, Real move mooted, Football
BIMM Manchester Music Business student Connor Synnott is bringing together some of Manchester s most exciting new bands for a benefit gig at Salford's Sacred Trinity Church, with all proceeds going to Lifeshare.
Homeless people | Manchester City Council
May 18, 2019 · Justification in the air amid Man City's historic treble. questions will remain about Manchester City's incredible domestic treble. South Africa has not won this year. Game schedule
Key Premier League changes in 2019/20 will affect Manchester
How to Survive a Cheetah Attack. Cheetahs rarely attack humans. If you're headed out on safari, though, it's best to prepare for the worst. Understanding how to avoid and fight back against cheetah attacks will give you a better chance of
Occipital Neuralgia: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatments
'I want more and more': Olivier Giroud determined to earn starting spot for Chelsea after Europa League hat-trick. Olivier Giroud grabbed hat-trick in Europa League last-16 win over Dynamo Kiev
Premier League, Champions League, Europa League - bbc.com
Pray for no rain: Man City to return to China after Beijing debacle AFP March 26, 2019, 6:44 AM UTC Manchester City's 2016 game against Manchester United was called off due to an unplayable
Pray for no rain: Man City to return to China after Beijing
0 comments:
Post a Comment