Champions League
Manchester City’s Winless Streak Continues After Dramatic Draw Against Feyenoord
Manchester City’s struggles continued as they surrendered a commanding 3-0 lead to allow Feyenoord to snatch a dramatic 3-3 draw at the Etihad Stadium.
This result extends City’s winless streak to six games, raising questions about their form and defensive solidity as they head into a crucial part of the season.
A Promising Start for City
The match began with Manchester City looking to assert their dominance early on. Erling Haaland, the prolific striker who has been a focal point of City’s attack, nearly opened the scoring within the first ten minutes.
After a powerful run, he unleashed a shot that seemed destined for the back of the net, only for Feyenoord’s goalkeeper, Timon Wellenreuther, to produce a stunning save, clawing the ball off the post and away from danger.
City continued to apply pressure, and it was Wellenreuther again who found himself at the center of the action just two minutes later. After a defensive error, Bernardo Silva seized the opportunity and set up Jack Grealish for a volley that deflected off teammate Phil Foden, resulting in a goal kick instead of a goal.
Feyenoord’s Resilience
Feyenoord gradually found their rhythm as the first half progressed. They tested City’s goalkeeper, Ederson, for the first time just after the half-hour mark when Igor Paixão attempted a first-time shot from a well-placed through ball by Inbeom Hwang.
Ederson was alert, making a crucial save to keep the scoreline level.
However, as the half drew to a close, City was awarded a penalty when Haaland was brought down by Quinten Timber in the box. The Norwegian striker stepped up to take the penalty himself and dispatched it with precision, sending the ball low and hard to the keeper’s left, giving City a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
City’s Dominance Turns to Dismay
The second half began similarly to the first, with City quickly doubling their lead. Just four minutes in, İlkay Gündoğan met a cleared corner with a powerful volley that deflected off Feyenoord’s Dávid Hancko and into the net.
The Slovakian defender’s misfortune was compounded just two minutes later when he was caught out by the pace of Matheus Nunes, who found Haaland to score his second goal of the match, marking his 46th UEFA Champions League goal.
It seemed as though City was in complete control, but defensive frailties that have plagued them all season began to surface. A mix-up between Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Joško Gvardiol allowed Feyenoord’s Anis Hadj-Moussa to capitalize, rounding Ederson and finishing smartly from a narrow-angle to pull one back for the visitors.
A Dramatic Comeback
With the score at 3-1, the match took a dramatic turn as Feyenoord continued to push forward. On 81 minutes, a cross from Paixão was deflected onto the post by Jordan Lotomba, only for substitute Santiago Gimenez to bundle the ball home, setting up a nervy finish for City fans.
Incredibly, Feyenoord completed their comeback in the dying moments of the match. Ederson was caught far from his goal as Paixão broke down the right.
The Brazilian goalkeeper’s decision to venture out proved costly, as Paixão calmly picked out Hancko at the back post, who headed into the empty net, leveling the match at 3-3.
Missed Opportunities and Defensive Woes
City had a chance to snatch back the lead in stoppage time when Grealish’s deflected effort rattled the crossbar, but it was not to be. The match ended with Feyenoord celebrating a remarkable point, extending their unbeaten streak in all competitions to 11 away games this season.
For Manchester City, the result is a bitter pill to swallow. Once seen as title contenders, their current run of form raises concerns about their defensive organization and ability to close out games.
