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Dortmund ease past Man City in Champions Cup opener
CHICAGO, July 21, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Pep Guardiola’s start to his pre-season
campaign ended in defeat as Borussia Dortmund captain Mario Gotze’s first
half penalty was enough to see off the Premier League champions Manchester
City 1-0 at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Guardiola was able to call on the likes of new signing Riyad Mahrez and
German Leroy Sane but his otherwise highly inexperienced, young team were
unable to get the better of a Dortmund side who have already played one game
this summer and looked far sharper in the opening match of this year’s
International Champions Cup tournament.
Gotze’s winner came in the 28th minute when American international
Christian Pulisic was hauled down in the box allowing the midfielder who
famously scored the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final to beat Claudio
Bravo.
Mahrez showed flashes of his quality yet Guardiola will be disappointed
about the lack of cutting edge on show.
With the bulk of his Premier League title winning squad enjoying an
extended break after their exertions at the World Cup, it was a vastly
inexperienced squad sent out by the Spaniard at Soldier Field.
Mahrez, the $75 million signing from Leicester, made his debut while the
precocious young English midfielder Phil Foden also started.
There was a healthy crowd of 34,629 inside Soldier Field and although a
young City side held their own early on, Dortmund created the better chances
with Gotze pulling the strings together with Pulisic.
Mahrez was City’s best player, a decent run and cross midway through the
first half showcased his attacking threat.
But on 28 minutes, the Germans were ahead. Alex Zinchenko, who is set to
leave the club before the start of the English domestic season, brought down
the lively Pulisic in the box and Gotze beat Bravo from the spot before
Alexander Isak almost made it two soon after.
Jack Harrison should have done better just before the interval when he
miscued a shot from close range and them Mahrez forced a great save from
Dortmund keeper Marwin Hitz.
Nevertheless, Guardiola would have been all too aware of his side’s lack
of killer instinct.
Former Etihad starlet Jadon Sancho, who quit the Premier League club for
Dortmund last August following a fall-out with Guardiola, was introduced in
the second half and began promisingly.
Joe Hart, the former England keeper, was making his first City appearance
since August 2016 but it was opposite number Hitz who was almost beaten on 55
minutes when another Mahrez set-piece flew just past the post.
The Algerian’s cute pass set Lukas Nmecha through on 70 minutes but his
finish was lacking before Hart produced an excellent point blank save to deny
Mahmoud Dahoud.
Dortmund, however, held firm to seal a deserved win.
BSS/AFP/SSS/0940 hrs