City stunned by late Brentford fight-back | OneFootball

City saw a two-goal lead slip as Brentford scored twice in the last 10 minutes to rescue a 2-2 draw.

The Blues looked home and hosed after Phil Foden's double strike, but goals from Wissa and Nørgaard in the final 15 minutes snatched an unlikely point for the home side.

It had been a breathless encounter from start to finish with City creating countless opportunities, but the result will feel more like a defeat for the Blues who were impressive throughout.

What happened?

The first 20 minutes was bright and breezy with both teams sending in gentle jabs without causing too many problems.

Brentford then had a period of five minutes or so, with a couple of decent chances squandered by a mixture of good defending and poor finishing.

Then City had a couple of chances in the space of a minute that should have resulted in at least one goal.

The first, a superb pass by Kevin De Bruyne that set Mathues Nunes away on the right, but the Portuguese decided to try and go around the goalkeeper rather than take a shot allowing the Bees to clear their lines.

Within 60 seconds, a lightning-quick counter attack by the Blues led by De Bruyne who sent Savinho racing towards goal, but the Brazilian’s fierce shot went a foot or so over the bar.

City were gradually taking control and Mate Kovacic’s low angled shot from the edge of the box tricked inches wide on 34 minutes.

It was the final ball selection that was preventing the Blues taking the lead.

The start to the second half was no less lively and City were in a coat of paint from going ahead on 50 minutes as Savinho picked up the ball on the left flank and drove towards the Bees box leaving two defenders in his wake before striking a low angled shot against the foot of the left post.

Moments later Nunes’ pinpoint cross found the head of Haaland who headed straight at the keeper.

Then Phil Foden got in behind the Brentford defence, but he couldn’t get the ball under control and the chance eventually fizzled out.

On the hour Savinho sliced a shot wide on yet another counter-attack and it was hard not wonder whether all the missed opportunities would come back to haunt us.

And, as if a timely reminder, the Blues were caught on the counter as Bryan Mbeumo drove forward, played in Wissa and as he was about to pull the trigger, Josko Gvardiol slid in to produce a heroic block and keep the scores level.

Within 90 seconds, the importance of that tackle was amplified as City took the lead.

Savinho's pass out to De Bruyne on the right saw the Belgian cross a sumptuous ball into the middle where Foden caressed a volley past the keeper and in off the post.

The relief among the City players and travelling fans was palpable.

The goal sparked the home  side into a frantic period that resulted in several chances - none better than when Mbeumo rounded Ortega Moreno, crossed into the six-yard box where Wissa looked certain to level but for a fantastic goal-line clearance by Nathan Ake.

The pressure from the Bees was growing, but City absorbed everything the home side could muster before delivering what felt like a killer blow.

Savinho dispossessed Roerslev just past the halfway line before racing towards goal before firing a shot that was pushed out by Flekken but only to Foden who made no mistake to put the Blues 2-0 up with 78 minutes on the clock.

However, the game was far from over.

Brentford kept plugging away and  when Roerslev crossed into box, Wissa had an age to tee himself up and prod the ball home to halve the deficit wit 82 played.

Cue a nervy last 10 minutes or so - and though City had chances to get a third, two minutes into added time a cross from Lewis Potter was headed home by Nørgaard with Ortega Moreno unable to claw the ball out.

It was a hammer blow , but shouldn't detract from an otherwise fine display at a difficult venue.

What it means…

City take just a point on the night but extend our unbeaten run to five games.

With other games still to finish, our position in the table will be confirmed shortly.

what’s next?

City travel to Portman Road to take on Ipswich Town on Sunday, 19 January.

Kick-off against the Tractor Boys is 16:30 (UK).

Then the Blues travel to Paris to take on PSG in a crucial Champions League clash.

The match in the French capital takes place on Wednesday 22 January with a kick-off of 20:00 (UK).

Pep reaction...

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Teams

Brentford XI: Flekken, Roerslev (Henry 87), Van den Berg, Collins, Norgaard, Damsgaard, Janelt (Yarmoliuk  79), Jensen (Schade 68), Lewis-Potter, Wissa, Mbeumo.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Mee, Konak, Maghoma, Kim, Carvalho

CITY:  Ortega Moreno, Nunes, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol, Kovacic (Gundogan 76), De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Savinho, Foden (McAtee 87) Haaland

Subs: Ederson, Grealish, Doku, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, O'Reilly, Lewis

Match officials

Referee: Anthony Taylor

Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn

Fourth official: Will Finnie

VAR: Peter Bankes

Assistant VAR: Eddie Smart