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Cheering city players, Gladbach's Bensebaini disappointed
Photo: Laszlo Balogh / AP
Manchester City lived up to their role as favorites in the Champions League round of 16 and won the first leg against Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 (1-0).
The sovereign leaders of the Premier League continued their winning streak of the previous weeks.
There is also a series for the Gladbach team: Marco Rose's team remained without a win in February.
The game, the official home game of Borussia, took place in the Puszkas-Arena in Budapest, as English teams are not allowed to play in Germany due to the corona.
From the start there was no sign of a home game for Borussia.
The superiority of the Guardiola-Elf was clear from the first minute of the game.
In the early stages, Borussia struggled to break free from their own half.
City dominated the game.
Even if there were no great opportunities to score, the Borussia defense was under constant pressure and had everything to do with preventing the English attackers from shooting on goal.
Only after a good 20 minutes did the Gladbachers manage to approach the city gate.
A quick counterattack by Stephan Lainer almost got Alassane Plea in the lead, but that was it with Borussia's offensive.
It was precisely in this phase, when the Gladbachers became a little more self-confident, that City's opening goal fell in the 29th minute.
Christoph Kramer had frantically passed a ball from his own penalty area into nowhere.
João Cancelo was able to pick up the ball and cross into the penalty area.
Bernardo Silva was there and headed in from a short distance to make it 1-0.
A result that lasted until the break, but Gladbach was still well served.
Borussia did not have a single shot on goal.
After changing sides, the Rose-Elf tried a little more courageously, positioned themselves a little further forward.
However, this offered City more space, Gabriel Jesus freely gave the decision before summer.
Nico Elvedi grabbed the striker at the last moment.
Borussia then had some good actions in attacking midfield, but the last pass to the top failed repeatedly.
The closest Plea came to the goal in the 61st minute, when he caught a cross with his heel, but could only deflect next to the goal.
In return, the English got serious.
Again, the cross into the penalty area was made too easy for them, Bernardo Silva put his head in this time, Gabriel Jesus completed the combination to 2-0.
The game was over early, Borussia in their current form was not able to hold back again.
The second leg will take place in Manchester on March 16, so only a football miracle can help Borussia advance.
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