Soccer, Manchester City | Haaland on the bench when FC Copenhagen got shock results
FC COPENHAGEN – MANCHESTER CITY 0-0:
COPENHAGEN (Nettavisen): A completely transformed FC Copenhagen team fought like lions in front of an electric home crowd, and kept Manchester City at bay throughout the game.
Canceled scoring, a penalty kick and a red card before half-time made the working conditions very difficult for City, and after about an hour wasted, Erling Braut Haaland was sent in for warm-up by Pep Guardiola.
It didn’t get more than that for Jærbuen, who got to see his teammates rarely struggle much to seize the initiative in the match.
– He is so tired. He has a muscle problem and we would not have any chances, says Pep Guardiola TV 2 about why Haaland was not traded inn.
– We’ll see tomorrow, I want to be ready, the Spaniard replied to questions about whether the forward will be ready for the weekend’s meeting with Liverpool.
After 72 minutes, substitute Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson was only a shoe size away from slipping in a goal that would have made Parken explode, but the home fans could cheer ecstatically just over a quarter of an hour later when the referee blew for full time and a slightly sensational result for an FCK team which struggles greatly in the domestic series.
– It was a different match to the first, especially with the fans behind us. We could feel the atmosphere, and that helped us, says FC Copenhagen midfielder Marko Stamenic to Nettavisen.
Also read: The Arsenal legend after seeing Haaland: – I had been embarrassed
Haaland received ironic cheers from the stands
While Haaland had started all the games in his Manchester City career until Tuesday, Pep Guardiola chose to rest the Norwegian from the start in the Park.
However, several hundred supporters had gathered outside the stadium when the City star arrived at the stadium, and the roar of jubilation could be heard right in the press room when Haaland got off the bus.
A few hours later, Jærbuen came out on the grass as the system man on the field. Section 12, which is the loudest section in the arena, roared “Too bad for FCK!” with allusion to the writings yesterday that the Copenhagen club did not choose to sign him when he was on trial as a 16-year-old.
– We didn’t think much about him being benched. You can look at the substitutions they have in place of him, and they are just as good. City are very good, the best team in the world now, believes Stamenic.
The FCK player has brought with him the adventurous start to the season for Haaland in the Premier League.
– I am really happy for him. I don’t know him personally, but I would definitely congratulate him if I had the opportunity.
An electric home crowd helped get the FCK players going, but three out of four stand sections were disappointed to realize that control were awarded a penalty after ten minutes.
Soon after, however, the promise was almost lifted when Kamil Grabara saved the attempt from Riyad Mahrez with a cat’s eye.
And there was more cheering for the hosts. First when a keeper by Rodri was canceled after a hand in front, and then when Manchester City were reduced to ten men after Sergio Gómez had put Hákon Haraldsson as system man.
All three situations come after the referee had to go on the VAR screen to see a situation and decide that Gary Lineker can react.
– And now Manchester City gets punished with yet another late decision, he wrote after the ball had hit the arm of Nicolai Boilesen.
More after the break
The hosts from the Park were much more involved in the game than what was the case in Manchester last week, and with one more man they occasionally created small dangers against Pep Guardiola’s team.
After 60 minutes, Erling Braut Haaland also put on the overcoat and began his warm-up. Jærbuen jogged calmly on the sidelines for about ten minutes before he sat down on the bench again, and there he got to look forward to steering against the City team.
Guardiola threw in Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden in the closing minutes in pursuit of the 1-0 goal, and João Cancelo came close when he tried from 16 yards, but the finish was saved by Kamil Grabara.
Haaland sat on the bench for a full 90 minutes, but got to see City set inn an ever so small final sprint. However, the hosts held on and secured a very strong point in the Park on Tuesday.