Featured Image Credit: BT Sport
Topics: Champions League, Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid, Manchester City
Ryan Sidle
Topics: Champions League, Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid, Manchester City
Vinicius Junior showed off his explosive pace to score Real Madrid's second goal, as the Spanish giants clawed their way back into the Champions League semi final with Manchester City for a second time.
City went 2-0 up in no time in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, after Kevin de Bruyne headed home the quickest goal in a semi final in the tournament's history.
Karim Benzema scored his 13th goal of this season's competition to make it 2-1 before half time but City once again started quickly after the break.
Advert
Phil Foden made it 3-1, and City somehow missed another opportunity, as Carlo Ancelotti's side struggled to defend against the Premier League champions.
However, Vinicius came up with the goods to cut the lead again, showing electric pace and skill to beat Fernandinho, sending Pep Guardiola to his knees, and surge into the box, before finishing past Ederson.
You had to feel somewhat bad for Fernandinho, considering he shouldn't have really been in the position to be destroyed by his fellow Brazilian in the first place.
Advert
Guardiola was forced into starting John Stones at right back, with Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo both unavailable for the game.
Stones himself had been a doubt to start the game and he had to be replaced by Fernandinho in the first half due to an injury, leaving the 36-year-old up against the 21-year-old Vinicius for the goal.
At that point in the game it was already turning into an instant classic, but there were still more twists to come, as the two teams were involved in one of the best matches of the season.
Advert
Vinicius' goal had cut a two goal City lead for the second time in the tie, and Guardiola's side once again stretched their lead to two goals for the third time.
The referee smartly played advantage, after Oleksandr Zinchenko was tripped just outside the area, with Bernardo Silva striking the ball past Thibaut Courtois with aplomb.
The Premier League leaders then shot themselves in the foot when Aymeric Laporte handled in the area and Benzema Panenka'd the resulting penalty to make it 4-3.
Who knows what will happen when the pair meet in the second leg in the Bernabeu next week, but it's unlikely Guardiola will match Fernandino up against Vinicius again...