Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Manchester City: City secures top spot despite Mahrez’s miss

Riyad Mahrez has missed three of his last four penalties for Manchester City in all competitions

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admits they have a “problem” with penalties as they secured top spot in their Champions League group with a 0-0 draw at Borussia Dortmund, despite Riyad Mahrez being dismissed failed.

Since the Catalan took over in 2016, City have failed to score 25 of their 80 penalties, excluding shoot-outs.

Mahrez was fouled by Emre Can and kicked himself, but Gregor Kobel went the right way to save his kick.

Borussia Dortmund also made it through to the round of 16 with the draw, so both sides will be happy with the result.

“Since I’ve been here we’ve missed 25 penalties, most of them in the Champions League,” said Guardiola.

“There are too many. You always have to admire courage, but missing so many penalties is a problem.

“We have to improve. In this competition, fine distances are important and these situations can make all the difference.”

City’s penalty record record in the Champions League (71%, 12/17) is actually slightly better than the Premier League record (69%, 36/52).

Former Scotland striker James McFadden, who followed the match on ` Radio 5 Live, said: “I think it was a very good penalty from Mahrez. It’s a lateral foot with a lot of power, what a save.”

Mahrez has now missed three of his last four penalties for City after scoring nine of his first ten.

player	penalty record	% Success Rate
Sergio Aguero	20/28	71
Riyadh Mahrez	14.10	71
Gabriel Jesus	5/10	50
Kevin De Bruyne	7/9	78
Raham Sterling	3/7	43
Ilkay Gundogan	4/6	67
Yaya Toure	3/3	100
Erling Haland	2/2	100
Rodri	1/1	100

City boss Guardiola surprisingly replaced top scorer Erling Haaland at half-time after only 13 ball contacts. He then revealed that the Norwegian had a fever and a stroke.

Dortmund also had good chances, 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko missed the goal and debutant of City keeper Stefan Ortega made several saves.

The city does the job, but back down best

City will be happy to have won their Champions League group with a game to go, but they are now just one win in their last four games in all competitions.

Last time out in Europe, they drew 0-0 in Copenhagen and then lost their unbeaten league record to Liverpool – before beating Brighton on Saturday.

Guardiola stirred things up with his line-up at Dortmund, making a debut for 29-year-old goalkeeper Ortega, who was signed in the summer while Ederson remained on the bench.

The German did well to fend off Karim Adeyemi and Moukoko in the first half.

Julian Alvarez, playing behind Haaland, made his fourth start for the club and was one of just three players to test Kobel – along with Ilkay Gündogan and Mahrez with his missed penalty, all in the second half.

Nathan Ake also headed wide a good chance.

If Haaland had still been with City with 22 goals in his first three months, he might have made it.

Cancelo was also sent off, another player who will not be happy with his first half – Adeyemi was able to beat him on the outside edge on several occasions.

It’s all academic at the end of the day, with City leading the group amid a relentless fixture list ahead of the World Cup – but recent performances continue to dip below their swashbuckling early-season form.

analysis

Former Scotland striker James McFadden on ` Radio 5 Live

It was really tight, Dortmund really tried to frustrate City and it was very impressive. They offered a real threat to win the game in the first half.

City just couldn’t get behind the defense and they couldn’t find a way to open Dortmund.

Maybe both sides didn’t take any chances because they knew they didn’t have to win the game.

player of the game

BellinghamJude Bellingham

Borussia Dortmund

1. squad number22player nameBellingham

2. squad numberfifteenplayer namebumble bees

3. squad number19player namebrand

4. squad number23player nameallowed to

5. squad number1player namekobel

6. squad number18player nameMoukoko

7. squad number10player nameT danger

8. squad number4player nameSchlotterbeck

9. squad number25player namecolumn

10. squad number7player nameReyna

11. squad number27player nameAdeyemi

12. squad number20player nameModest

13. squad number17player namewolf

14. squad number47player namePapadopoulos

15. squad number21player namegrind

lineups

B Dortmund

formation 4-5-1

1kobel

25columnfifteenbumble bees4Schlotterbeck10T danger

27Adeyemi22Bellingham23allowed to19brand7Reyna

18Moukoko

• 1kobel
• 25column
• fifteenbumble beesBooked at 87 minutes
• 4Schlotterbeck
• 10T dangerReplaced bywolfat 82′protocol
• 27AdeyemiReplaced bygrindat 73′protocol
• 22Bellingham
• 23allowed to
• 19brand
• 7ReynaReplaced byPapadopoulosat 87′protocol
• 18MoukokoReplaced byModestat 82′protocol

substitute

• 17wolf
• 20Modest
• 21grind
• 30registration varnish
• 33Meier
• 36Rothe
• 38uncut
• 44Coulibaly
• 47Papadopoulos

man city

formation 4-4-2

18Ortega

5stones3Ruben Dias6What7Abort

26mahrez16Rodri8thGundogan47The foot

9Haland19Alvarez

• 18Ortega
• 5stones
• 3Ruben Dias
• 6What
• 7AbortBooked at 7 minutesReplaced byakanjiat 45′protocolBooked at 72 minutes
• 26mahrezReplaced bypalmersat 88′protocol
• 16Rodri
• 8thGundoganBooked at 58 minutes
• 47The footReplaced byGreyishat 81′protocol
• 9HalandReplaced byBernhard Silvaat 45′protocol
• 19Alvarez31 minutes booked

substitute

• 10Greyish
• 14Laporte
• 17De Bruine
• 20Bernhard Silva
• 25akanji
• 31Ederson
• 33carson
• 80palmers
• 82Lewis
• 97Wilson-Esbrand

Referee: Davide Massa

Number of visitors: 81,000

live text

1. Game ends, Borussia Dortmund 0, Manchester City 0.

2. Second half ends, Borussia Dortmund 0, Manchester City 0.

3. Offside Borussia Dortmund. Julian Brandt tries a through ball, but Anthony Modeste is caught offside.

4. Dangerous play by Rúben Dias (Manchester City).

5. Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

6. Substitution, Manchester City. Cole Palmer replaces Riyad Mahrez.

7. Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

8. Julián Álvarez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

9. Foul by Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund).

10. Substitution Borussia Dortmund. Antonios Papadopoulos replaces Giovanni Reyna.

11. Offside Manchester City. Jack Grealish tries a through ball, but Bernardo Silva is caught offside.

12. Offside Manchester City. John Stones tries a through ball, but Riyad Mahrez is caught offside.

13. Substitution Borussia Dortmund. Anthony Modeste replaces Youssoufa Moukoko.

14. Substitution Borussia Dortmund. Marius Wolf replaces Thorgan Hazard.

15. Substitution, Manchester City. Jack Grealish replaces Phil Foden.

16. Corner Manchester City. Goal by Mats Hummels.

17. attempt blocked. Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

18. Substitution Borussia Dortmund. Donyell Malen replaces Karim Adeyemi.

19. Manuel Akanji (Manchester City) is yellow carded for handling the ball.

20. Handball by Manuel Akanji (Manchester City).