Pep Guardiola enjoyed victory over his old nemesis Jose Mourinho as his Manchester City side won 2-1 against Manchester United in yesterday’s eagerly anticipated derby at Old Trafford.
First-half goals by Kevin de Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho put City in control, and despite new goalkeeper Claudio Bravo’s gaffe allowing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to hit back for United, City held firm.
It was the first encounter between Guardiola and Mourinho since 2013 and gave the former Barcelona coach an eighth win in 17 encounters with the ex-Real Madrid manager.
Photo: Reuters
City’s win, their 50th in competitive derby matches, saw them end United’s perfect start to the season.
Mourinho will have been angered by referee Mark Clattenburg’s decision not to award the home side a penalty after Bravo caught Wayne Rooney with a wild challenge inside the City area.
City went ahead in the 15th minute when Aleksandar Kolarov’s high ball was flicked on by Iheanacho and De Bruyne beat Daley Blind to the ball before clinically wrong-footing David de Gea.
Photo: AFP
United had barely had a kick and Rooney’s frustration showed as he grappled with Guardiola for the ball at a throw-in before catching Fernandinho late.
There was worse to come for the United skipper as City made it 2-0, Iheanacho tapping in after De Bruyne’s low curler struck the base of the left-hand post.
Mourinho wore a face of thunder on the touchline, but Bravo gifted his side a lifeline three minutes before halftime.
Photo: AFP
The Chilean allowed Rooney’s deep free-kick to slip from his grasp and Ibrahimovic produced an athletic volley to spear the loose ball into the net.
Mourinho introduced Ander Herrera and terrace darling Marcus Rashford in the second half.
Guardiola responded to Mourinho’s changes by bolstering his own midfield, with Fernando and debutant Leroy Sane coming on and De Bruyne taking up a central forward role.
A beautifully poised game swung from end to end thereafter.
United had a goal disallowed when Rashford’s shot clipped Ibrahimovic, who was standing in an offside position, and beat Bravo.
De Gea then saved in quick succession from Fernandinho, Nicolas Otamendi and Fernando, before Sane teed up De Bruyne for a shot that hit the right-hand post and rolled across the goal.
The hosts procured one last chance, but Ibrahimovic’s stoppage-time shot was deflected just wide.
LA LIGA
AFP, MADRID
Antoine Griezmann kickstarted Atletico Madrid’s La Liga campaign with two goals and an assist as a 4-0 rout of RC Celta de Vigo gave them a much-needed boost yesterday.
It was their first win of the La Liga season after they were held by promoted Deportivo Alaves and CD Leganes in their opening two league games.
They were outplayed for the first half in Vigo as well, as Josep Sense and Theo Bongonda missed great chances.
However, Atletico’s luck turned when Koke met Griezmann’s fine cross eight minutes into the second half to give the visitors the lead, before Euro 2016’s top scorer Griezmann headed home his first two goals of the season in the final 20 minutes.
Angel Correa added a fourth two minutes from time.
Celta are still to pick up a point this season after finishing sixth last term, but just as in losing out narrowly to Real Madrid two weeks ago, they paid for not taking their chances in a promising first half.
Griezmann came alive after the break, first with a brilliant in-swinging cross for Koke to slot home the opener with Atletico’s first shot on goal in the second period.
It was Griezmann who sealed the points with a towering header from Saul Niguez’s cross.
Griezmann added his second of the afternoon with another headed effort 10 minutes from time, before Correa fired home at the near post to seal a second-half rout.
LIGUE 1
AFP, PARIS
Paris Saint-Germain conceded an injury-time equalizer as they warmed up for their Champions League clash against Arsenal next week with a disappointing 1-1 home draw with AS Saint-Etienne on Friday.
The big-spending Parisians looked set to top Ligue 1 thanks to a second-half Lucas penalty, but Robert Beric popped up in the second minute of stoppage-time to somehow eke out an unlikely point for the visitors.
“Am I angry?” PSG coach Unai Emery said. “No... The result is hard to accept, but I have to keep a cool head. I have nothing to reproach the players for tonight.”
PSG made the breakthrough in the 67th minute thanks to a penalty from Brazilian winger Lucas, after Matuidi again took a tumble.
The Parisians were cruising to victory, before Beric neatly chested down a deep cross late on and knocked the ball into the ground and over the stretched arms of Trapp.
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