Chapter 476: The Premier League's Last Hope!

Chapter 476: The Premier League's Last Hope!

Manchester City's first goal completely changed the dynamics of the game. Dynamo Kyiv, who had planned to wait for the snowy weather to launch their attack, now had to go on the offensive earlier than they had hoped. With the first half nearly over, they knew they needed to equalize quickly, or they'd head into the locker room at a disadvantage. If they didn't score soon, their chances of breaking down City's defense in the second half—even with home-field advantage and possible snowy conditions—would diminish.

However, pressing forward aggressively with a player like Son Heung-min on the counter was a risky move. Sure enough, when Dynamo Kyiv pushed forward, City shifted their focus to exploiting Son's speed on the wing. In the 44th minute, after intercepting a Kyiv attack, City launched a counter. Kroos delivered a long pass, and Son sprinted forward, carrying the ball. This time, Kyiv's defenders, wary of his speed, converged on him. Son quickly passed the ball to Lin, who volleyed it into the net without stopping.

Manchester City had extended their lead to 2-0 with a single counterattack. Although Son didn't score this time, his speed and assist were crucial. Dynamo Kyiv's players, exhausted from running back to defend, were stunned. It felt like getting hit with a hammer—demoralizing and overwhelming. Scoring against City seemed almost impossible, while City's goals came effortlessly.

Kyiv's players felt frustration, helplessness, despair, and confusion. While it was incredibly difficult for them to score, City's goals seemed easy. Trailing by two goals, they faced an even tougher challenge. Adding to their woes was the fact that City had two away goals. If City took these two goals back to Manchester, Kyiv's chances of advancing would be bleak.

With just one minute left in the first half, Kyiv still hadn't figured out how to break through City's defense. Meanwhile, City's counterattacks were consistently dangerous, leaving Kyiv's players in a state of disarray as they returned to the locker room.

On the other side, City's players were much more composed. Guardiola praised their first-half performance, especially Son Heung-min. Son felt a surge of pride and confidence. With David Silva injured, he had stepped into a starting role and felt ready to compete for a permanent spot.

"We don't need to change our approach in the second half," Guardiola instructed. "We're ahead, so stay calm and wait for their mistakes to launch our counterattacks. But be careful—the snow is getting heavier, and the field might become slippery. Don't get injured!"

Guardiola emphasized avoiding injuries, knowing that a victory would be soured if players got hurt. He planned to make substitutions around the 65th minute to protect key players.

The second half began, and Kyiv's coach had made tactical adjustments during the break. They simplified their attack strategy to avoid losing possession and focused on long balls and crosses to their tall striker. This direct approach caused some trouble for City's defense, especially with the increasingly slippery conditions.

In the 55th minute, a shot from Kyiv forced a fumble from City's goalkeeper, Navas. Luckily, Kompany cleared the ball off the line, narrowly preventing a goal. This close call boosted Kyiv's morale, while the accumulating snow made the field even more challenging for City's passing game, leading to more mistakes.

Seeing the situation, Guardiola decided not to wait until the 65th minute. He made substitutions, bringing on Fernandinho and Sane for Kroos and De Bruyne, respectively, and moved Lin to an attacking midfield role. Sane's entry meant Jesus dropped back, becoming more of a defensive forward, disrupting Kyiv's defenders and giving City's midfield more time.

Guardiola's plan was simple: solidify the defense and use the wings and Lin's vision to find a killer pass to seal the game. Even if they didn't score again, City's defensive setup was strong enough to withstand Kyiv's attacks.

"This is despicable!" shouted Dynamo Kyiv fans. "City's playing defensively against a weaker team? How can they call themselves champions?"

The fans were furious, feeling that City's conservative tactics were an insult given their superior squad.

Guardiola, didn't you always criticize Mourinho's teams for playing ugly, pragmatic football? What are you doing now? How are you any different from Mourinho?

If Guardiola heard this, he would probably argue, "The weather's bad! If it wasn't snowing, of course Manchester City would open up and play you head-to-head. Do you think we're afraid of you? But with the snow falling so heavily, continuing with our passing game would be foolish. Didn't you see even Kroos and De Bruyne making mistakes? This shows that ground play isn't feasible, so I have to be practical."

The Dynamo Kyiv coach didn't waste time cursing City like the fans. He was too focused on the game. Manchester City's substitutions disrupted his tactical plans, and with an extra defensive midfielder, breaking through City's defense became much harder. Moreover, City's forward began harassing Dynamo's ball handlers instead of engaging in direct play, something the coach hadn't anticipated. He never expected City to have such versatile players.

What worried him most was that despite strengthening their defense, City didn't lose their offensive power. Even without two midfield core players, Lin performed exceptionally well, taking on multiple roles. Organizing, directing, transitioning, and even creating threats—he did it all, forcing Kyiv's defenders to stay alert to avoid being caught off guard.

City launched several quick attacks down the flanks, threatening Kyiv's goal, even if they didn't always score. This forced Kyiv to hold back and avoid overcommitting.

But the inevitable happened. Seeing Sane and Son Heung-min squander his chances, Lin decided to take matters into his own hands. In the 75th minute, he scored directly from a free kick, making it 3-0. This goal effectively killed the game, leading City players to celebrate wildly, even bringing substitutes wrapped in thick coats onto the field to join the celebration. It looked like City had won the Champions League, judging by their excitement.

The Kyiv fans felt like they'd been doused in cold water. The previously shirtless, drum-beating fans had quietly put their clothes back on, but even in thick coats, they couldn't shake the cold.

Seeing Lin score, Guardiola used his last substitution, replacing Lin with Iheanacho. Jesus moved to an attacking midfield role, with Iheanacho at the top. Watching City mix and match their forwards' positions, the Dynamo coach couldn't help but twitch. Losing to City wasn't unjust—they were simply much stronger. City's players could adapt to multiple positions, something Dynamo couldn't match. No wonder Guardiola's team could play with such tactical variety.

Jesus, despite being versatile, was still only 19 and lacked experience. In the 87th minute, his delayed pass led to a Kyiv counterattack and a consolation goal for the home team. However, it was too little, too late, and Kyiv's players had lost their fighting spirit.

The match ended 3-1, with City securing a comprehensive away victory. With three away goals and a two-goal cushion, they had one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals.

As City's match concluded, all first-leg fixtures in the Champions League knockout stage were complete, with the key scores emerging:

PSG, with goals from Neymar and Cavani, defeated Chelsea 2-1 at home. Mikel scored for Chelsea.

Real Madrid won 2-0 away against Roma, with Ronaldo scoring.

Arsenal lost 2-0 at home to Barcelona, with Messi scoring both goals.

Juventus drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich at home, showing their resilience by coming back from two goals down. Bayern were without Ribery until the 84th minute, meaning they weren't at full strength. Many still favored Bayern for the return leg.

Of the three Premier League teams in the knockout stage, only City managed a win. Arsenal and Chelsea both suffered disheartening losses. Arsenal, despite Barcelona missing Neymar, were completely outplayed, with less than half the passes and possession of their opponents. Sanchez, trying to prove himself, was completely shut down by his former teammates.

Arsenal fans were despondent, seeing little hope for the away leg. Their Champions League journey seemed destined to end. Chelsea fans were similarly pessimistic. Even after adding Neymar, PSG's overall strength had improved significantly, dominating possession and doubling Chelsea's shots. If not for PSG's wastefulness, the scoreline could have been worse than 2-1.

With hard battles ahead, City once again became the Premier League's last hope.

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