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Hi. Do you like goals? Do you love watching defenses get picked apart by strikers at the top of their game or defenders just deciding to neglect their duties? Well, we’ve got the game for you. The Man City-Tottenham first half of their second-leg Champions League quarterfinal was absolutely bonkers.
Last week, Tottenham edged Manchester City 1-0 at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to take an advantage into the second leg — not allowing an away goal being almost as important as the win. It was a cagey affair dominated by defenses that got the best of star-studded sides.
But this second leg, despite the loss of Harry Kane (out with an ankle injury) was an explosion of offensive fireworks from the very opening moments.
City got off to a perfect start when Raheem Sterling scored in the fourth minute. Sterling has been superb this season and looked like Cristiano Ronaldo cutting inside to shoot from range.
¡¡GOOOOOOOOLLLLLL DEL CITY!! A los cuatro minutos, STERLING nos regala esta joyita de GOLAZO con riflazo de derecha.#LaChampionsUD: @ManCityES 1-0 @Spurs_ES (1-1)
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) April 17, 2019
Kieran Trippier’s defending, it should be said, was criminal, but credit Sterling for taking advantage with a perfect shot.
The lead didn’t last long, however, as City’s defense was similarly inept early on. Aymeric Laporte gifted Son Heung-min a chance moments later and the South Korean’s shot skipped right under Ederson in goal.
¡¡GOOOOOOOOLLLLLL DE SON!! Se empató el partido#LaChampionsUD: @ManCityES 1-1 @Spurs_ES (1-2)
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) April 17, 2019
Son then made it 2-1 (3-1 on aggregate) three minutes later with a goal that actually wasn’t so much about poor defending as brilliant finishing (and movement to create the space).
¡¡GOOOOOOOOLLLLLL DE LOS SPURS!! ¡¡GOOOOOOOOLLLLLL DE LOS SPURS!! ¡¡GOOOOOOOOLLLLLL DE LOS SPURS!! Doblete de Son, volvió a vacunar.#LaChampionsUD: @ManCityES 1-2 @Spurs_ES (1-3)
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) April 17, 2019
This City fan summed up the feelings of most in the stadium.
Screenshot: TNT
But even that lead was short lived.
Inside 11 minutes, Bernardo Silva made it 2-2, his deflected effort rolling slowly past Hugo Lloris.
¡¡GOOOOOOOOLLLLLL DEL CITY!! Esto es una locura… Lluvia de GOLES, Bernardo Silva empata el partido#LaChampionsUD: @ManCityES 2-2 @Spurs_ES (2-3)
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) April 17, 2019
Even with two goals in the opening 11 minutes, Manchester City still needed two more goals to advance at this point.
The match set a record for the quickest to four goals in Champions League history.
4 - Four goals in the opening 11 minutes of Manchester City vs Tottenham is the fastest four goals have ever been scored in a single Champions League match. Bonkers. #MCITOT
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 17, 2019
But there were always going to be more goals scored, even if it took — by this match’s standards — an age.
Sterling tied the aggregate score at 3-3 in the 21st minute. While Sterling’s first was assisted by Kevin de Bruyne but all about Sterling, his second was all about KDB’s pass.
¡¡GOOOOOOOOLLLLLL DEL CITY!! Sterling con el doblete#LaChampionsUD: @ManCityES 3-2 @Spurs_ES (3-3)
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) April 17, 2019
Sterling now has 23 goals in all competitions this season.
The match went to halftime at 3-2 City (3-3 on aggregate), with Spurs still holding the away-goals advantage. But after five goals in the opening 20 minutes, the Man City-Tottenham first half was one no one in England will soon forget.
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