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Last night marked the last two matches of the 1st leg games in the last 16 knockout games in the ongoing UEFA Champions League.
On Wednesday night, we saw Champions League masters in action against stubborn Italian side, Atalanta and EPL leaders Man City battle Gladbach.
Atalanta Vs Real Madrid: Match Report
A brilliant late strike from Ferland Mendy gave Real Madrid a 1-0 win over 10-man Atalanta in their Champions League last-16 first leg at Bergamo Stadium. The hosts saw Remo Freuler controversially sent off early on.
An open beginning to the first-leg tie was marred by a debatable refereeing decision. Freuler was shown a harsh straight red for bringing down Mendy on the edge of the box.
It was adjudged the Swiss midfielder denied the French left-back a clear goalscoring opportunity. Ultimately it was a questionable decision from German referee Tobias Stieler with other Atalanta defenders in the vicinity.
With Real Madrid eager to capitalise on their man advantage, stand-in false nine Isco and Luka Modric both had innocuous efforts on goal before Casemiro missed their best chance in first-half injury-time.
The Brazilian – who scored an aerial winner against Real Valladolid last Saturday – guided his point-blank header from a delightful Kroos corner straight into the body of a stunned Pierluigi Gollini.
The second half was a tale of Real Madrid dominating possession but struggling to break down a compact, resolute Atalanta defence. Modric saw two half-chances go wide while Marco Asensio had a free-kick comfortably saved.
But finally, in the 86th minute, the deadlock was broken. It was Mendy who had the key, bending a stunning right-footed strike from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.
Borussia Monchengladbach Vs Manchester City: Match Report
Premier League leaders, Manchester City continued their impressive form as they beat Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League.
City dominated Monchengladbach to take control of their Champions League round-of-16 tie with a 2-0 first-leg win in Budapest.
Pep Guardiola’s side controlled much of the game – which was hosted in Hungary due to Covid-19 restrictions – and took a deserved lead when Bernardo Silva nodded home Joao Cancelo’s excellent cross on 28 minutes.
The Premier League leaders continued to boss proceedings without converting that control into goals, but the second did finally come when Cancelo and Silva combined in a similar fashion in the second half.
This time the angle was slightly wider for Silva, who nodded back across goal for Gabriel Jesus to finish.
City, playing for their eighth straight year in the Champions League knockout stages, pushed for a third that didn’t come, and Pep Guardiola was left looking slightly frustrated by a result that could have been far more convincing.
The teams will meet again at the Etihad on March 16 for the second leg, with Gladbach having a lot of work to do to get back into the tie
Source: Ghanaarticles.com
