Put Some Hart Into It

Looking at the final score of Manchester City - Borussia Dortmund, but without having seen the match, one might think that the Germans got off easy from the Etihad stadium.

In actuality, though, it was the Manchester team that should count its lucky stars for not leaving the pitch in shame, with their heads down.
Borussia Dortmund was by far the better team on this day, in England, and they should have won the match.
If the score had been something like 10-2 for the Germans, based on the clear goal-scoring chances that each team had, it might have been a fairer score.
Only in the first half, Dortmund hit the woodwork two times.
And City goalkeeper Joe Hart had to make about 15-20 saves, altogether, in the whole match.

The only two good things about Man. City 's performance were, number 1, Joe Hart 's hard work, of course, and, number 2, the fact that the English team didn't despair, even when Borussia deservedly went into the lead. (The Germans actually might not even have gone in front, despite their clear chances, if it wasn't for absolutely woeful defending from City in min. 61-62 that allowed Marco Reus to find himself alone with Hart.)

And Manchester City also had some very good luck right at the end of the match, amazing luck that restored some of their chances of progressing from the group.
Aguero's effort, in the penalty box, in the 88th minute, an effort which almost surely would not have resulted in a goal, succeeded in hitting the hand of poor, unfortunate defender Subotic.
The referee, perhaps unfairly, pointed to the penalty spot. And you know that, whenever Balotelli takes the PK, they're going to pick up the ball from the back of the net.
(And one thing I'd like to point out has to do with this unjust penalty-giving rule. How was Subotic supposed to maintain his balance, when trying to defend, if both his hands were to have been held behind his back, as the rule book suggests they should have been, ideally? When we're dealing with players who can hit a bull's eye from 20 meters out, aiming for a defender's arm from 2 meters away is easy, and maybe that's what Aguero even tried to do. Is that deserving of an awarded penalty, just like for a foul from behind when the striker is alone on goal, for example? Lack of justice, is this not?)

So, Manchester City was very, very lucky not to lose at home to the German champions, but, even so, they could be in serious trouble in this group, still. (And, looking forward, their last match of the group stage will be their trip to Dortmund.)

This scenario is certainly very reminiscent of City's CL group from last year, only with Real Madrid instead of Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund playing the part of Napoli.

Highlights:

กดเ้อิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิิ... by footyroom