SM
Sports Mole words bigger AMP 2
Aston Villa vs. West Ham: 11 hrs 15 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
MC
Manchester City logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Sep 30, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
RL
Roma logo

1-1

Aguero (4' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-1)
Totti (23')

Match Analysis: Manchester City 1-1 Roma

:Headline: Match Analysis: Manchester City 1-1 Roma: ID:179962: from db_amp
Sports Mole analyses the Champions League match between Manchester City and Roma at the Etihad Stadium.

Roma came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw against Manchester City in their Champions League Group E clash.

City were awarded a penalty in the fourth minute when Maicon tugged back Sergio Aguero and the Argentine stepped up to convert from the spot.

Midway through the first half Roma drew level, as captain Francesco Totti ran through to chip an effort into the far corner.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the events that unfolded at the Etihad Stadium.

Match Statistics:

Man City:
Shots 15
On Target 2
Possession 61%
Corners 7
Fouls 13

Roma:
Shots 9
On Target 4
Possession 39%
Corners 2
Fouls 16

Was the result fair?

In the end a draw was a fair reflection on how the evening panned out. City took the lead early on and will have been expected to put more pressure on their opponents, but the goal seemed to spark Roma into life and they levelled through a fine strike from Totti. Both teams worked plenty of goalscoring opportunities throughout the rest of the match, but a lack of cutting edge in the final third ensured that it finished level.

Man City's performance

Many were labelling this as a must-win game for City and they began the evening on the front foot by taking the lead inside of four minutes. However, they were unable to build on that good start and struggled to create chances in the first half. They allowed Roma far too much space to build attacks, but the introduction of James Milner and Frank Lampard after the break saw them gain a measure of control. They certainly looked the more likely to grab the three points in the closing stages, but their poor finishing cost them, with only two of their 15 attempts on goal finding the target.

Roma's performance

Roma have enjoyed a fine start to their season and they continued their unbeaten run with a well-drilled performance in Manchester. Rudi Garcia will have been disappointed in the manner that his side conceded their first goal, but it was the only blot on an otherwise solid defensive display. They also showed plenty of threat going forward, with Totti pulling the strings. A point was the least they deserved and it will give them plenty of confidence going into their double-header with Bayern Munich.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Francesco Totti: He may be nearing the end of his career, but Totti showed that he is still the heartbeat of this Roma side. The 38-year-old scored a fine goal in the first half and he constantly set up his team's attacks with a number of brilliant passes. His strike also saw him make history, as the oldest player to have scored in the Champions League.

Biggest gaffe

Maicon was fortunate to still be on the pitch after only four minutes of the match. It was his tug on Aguero that gave away the penalty and the referee was rather lenient at only showing him a yellow card. Instead, he went on to enjoy a fine game and even hit the bar with a powerful strike.

Referee's performance

It was a busy night for Bjorn Kuipers who was forced into making a big call early on. He got the penalty decision correct, but decided not to send off Maicon. There was also another penalty shout when Kostas Manolas handled a cross from Jesus Navas. This time he didn't give the spot kick, when perhaps he should have.

What next?

Man City: City return to Premier League action with a visit to Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

Roma: Roma face a top-of-the-table clash against Serie A rivals Juventus on Sunday.

amp_article__179962 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2014-10-02 10:10:25:
html db last update - 2014-10-02 10:10:25 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html
Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool19144147192846
2Arsenal20117239182140
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest20124429191040
4Chelsea20106439241536
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle20105534221235
6Manchester CityMan City2010463627934
7Bournemouth209653023733
8Aston Villa209563032-232
9Fulham207943027330
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2061043029128
11Brentford208393835327
12Tottenham HotspurSpurs20731042301224
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd206592328-523
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham206592439-1523
15Crystal Palace204972128-721
16Everton193881525-1017
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2044123145-1416
18Ipswich TownIpswich2037102035-1516
19Leicester CityLeicester2035122344-2114
20Southampton2013161244-326
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .