In a weather-interrupted friendly at Lambeau Field in Wisconsin on Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s team defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 thanks to a goal from Erling Haaland.
The game was cut short to 80 minutes as a result of two lightning delays, one before kickoff and one in the first half.
After Guardiola declared him over the “niggles” that held him out of City’s 2-1 win over Mexico’s Club America in Houston on Wednesday, the $61 million striker Haaland had plenty of time to make a mark in his debut.
Before Bayern’s Serge Gnabry’s close-range shot was rejected in the seventh minute by a thin offside call, Manchester City had twice threatened.
In five minutes, Haaland made contact. Following the deflection of Riyad Mahrez’s free kick, Kevin De Bruyne was able to seize the opportunity to intercept the ball and find Jack Grealish, who sent the ball over to Haaland, who connected from close range.
Unfortunately, more electrical storms interrupted the game, forcing players to leave the field and informing the nearly sold-out audience of 78,128 spectators at the legendary home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers to take cover in the concourses.
Due to hazardous weather, the game’s start had already been postponed by over 20 minutes.
The stoppages didn’t damper the joyous mood for the first professional soccer game ever played at Lambeau, and some tough spectators even braved the torrential rain and potential for lightning to stay in their seats throughout the interruption.
With 27 minutes remaining in the first half’s 40 minutes of play, Haaland re-energized the in-stadium City supporters by sprinting through behind the Bayern defense.
However, a charging Dayot Upercampo kicked the ball away before he could fire.
Alphonso Davies was at the far post of a cross from the right when it reached Bayern, but his pass across the goal face didn’t quite reach Serge Gnabry, giving Manchester City a perfect opportunity.
Haaland nearly increased the score to 2-0 a minute later, but his left-footed attempt from within the box was disallowed for offside.
After 40 minutes of play, Haaland left the field to make room for recently acquired striker Julian Alvarez, who almost doubled the score in the 43rd minute.
The tension between the Premier League and Bundesliga champions persisted despite numerous substitutes in the second half as Bayern, who opened their brief tour with a 6-2 thrashing of Wayne Rooney’s DC United, searched fruitlessly for an equalizer.
Following the game, both teams took flights home because the following Saturday would see Bayern play RB Leipzig in the SuperCup final and Manchester City play Liverpool in the Community Shield.
AFP
