David Silva’s dramatic 87th-minute strike got Manchester City off the mark in this season’s Champions League with a victory away to Hoffenheim, BBC reports.
Silva capitalised on a defensive error by Hoffenheim’s Stefan Posch before finishing into the far corner.
City had fallen behind after only 43 seconds when Ishak Belfodil finished through the legs of goalkeeper Ederson for Hoffenheim.
They equalised six minutes later when Sergio Aguero poked home from Leroy Sane’s cut-back but had been frustrated from then on, and looked like only taking a point from their trip to Germany before Silva pounced late on.
Earlier Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann denied Raheem Sterling with his legs at the end of a rapid counter-attack in the first half, and dived high to his left to stop Aguero finding the top corner.
Aguero also put a volley over when unmarked six yards from goal and had a weak header saved in the second half.
City had a strong claim for a second-half penalty turned down when Baumann seemed to bring down Sane in the box but referee Damir Skomina chose not to give a foul or book the forward for diving.
The win gives City their first points in the Champions League this season after they suffered a surprise defeat by Lyon in their opening game.
They climb to second in the table while Hoffenheim, playing in the Champions League for the first time this season, fall to bottom.
City’s defeat against Lyon last month was their fourth in a row in the Champions League going back to last season’s campaign, which ended with defeat in the quarter-finals by Liverpool.
But over the 90 minutes the English champions deserved the three points in Germany, especially given they should have had a penalty for the foul on Sane.
Silva was instrumental in Aguero’s equaliser, playing a perfectly weighted pass to Sane on the left who then cut the ball back to the Argentine striker.
For his winner Silva robbed Posch when the defender tried to chest down Bernado Silva’s cross inside the penalty area.
In the first half, City were dangerous on the counter-attack with Sane and Sterling causing havoc, although Hoffenheim were more secure after the break.
But despite the win there were also concerns for Guardiola.
The early goal, which came when one pass between centre-backs Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi was enough to open up the defence, means City have now kept just two clean sheets in their past 17 away games in the Champions League.
There were other uncertain moments at the back with Hoffenheim finding joy down the side of the centre-back pairing, particularly on the left where Aymeric Laporte was playing at full-back.
