Manchester City finally get first-leg win
February 24, 2016
Dynamo Kyiv 1-3 Manchester City
(Buyalskyy 59' - Agüero 15', Silva 40', Toure 89')
Though they have won two of the last four league titles in England, Manchester City have thirsted for Champions League glory. They made crucial steps to improving their European legacy on Wednesday, depositing three crucial away goals against Dynamo Kiev to pave their way towards their first quarterfinals. Sergio Agüero and David Silva thrust the "Citizens” ahead early, and the Ukranian club could not come up with a big enough response.
After Barcelona knocked them out of the Champions League in each of the last two seasons, Manchester City were not off to a great start in this year's round of 16 draw. Andriy Yarmolenko had a dangerous chance early on, Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart having to push it off the bar. Manchester City turned the ball over in midfield quite often in the beginning, but Dynamo forward Lukasz Teodorczyk could not find the target when Kiev poked forward chances to score.
Agüero created momentum for Manchester City when he volleyed a goal into the back of the net. Trying to save a David Silva corner kick, Yaya Toure headed the ball towards Agüero, who controlled it with his chest before shooting the ball into the goal It was the first lead Manchester City have ever had in the knockout stages of the Champions League, and they did not look like they were going to relinquish it.
Manchester City moved with confident combination play, weaving around the Dynamo defense with quick, one-touch passing. Their incisive interplay was their key to doubling the score before halftime, Agüero flicking a pass to Rahim Sterling to set up a chance. Sterling then sliced a sizzling drive to David Silva, who only needed to tap the ball past Dynamo goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovski.
Dynamo Kiev came out of the halftime locker room recharged, and got a reward when Vitaly Buyalskyy scored from the work of Nicolas Otamendi just before the hour mark. That spark was not able to jolt Kiev back in the game as Dynamo Kiev only had one attempt after that, an equalizing shot Buyalskyy made that could not beat Hart's palm. Yaya Touré hammered the final nail into the coffin, making up for missing a tight-angled header by whacking in a top-drawer finish just before fulltime.
Manchester City head home with a 3-1 aggregate lead, scoring more goals against Dynamo Kiev than they had in their two previous rounds of 16 games with Barcelona. All the “Citizens” need to do now is prevent Dynamo from scoring three goals, a much more manageable task than their previous second-leg trips to the Nou Camp.
PSV Eindhoven 0-0 Atletico Madrid
One of six teams to let in three goals or less in the group stages of the Champions League, Atletico Madrid held host PSV scoreless as they began their attempt to make their third straight quarterfinal. Unfortunately, Atletico's hosts matched their clean sheet as the two sides completed the only goalless contest of the last 16. The match might not have remained scoreless though, for Atletico left a lot of unfinished chances on the field.
Luciano Vietto had the first good chance to put the visitors on the board early, but Jeffrey Bruma cleared the chip off the goal line as he collided with PSV's Jeroen Zoet. The goalkeeper was able to shake off the collision to come up with the vital saves of a Koke effort from distance and a break from Antoine Griezmann. PSV's Davy Pröpper almost undermined Atletico's offensive efforts at the other end, but Jan Oblak came up with a close-range save to maintain the clean sheet.
Atletico's Diego Godin appeared to have sent in the opening goal early in the second half, but the referee saw the shoulder boost he tried on PSV's Hector Moreno and canceled it. PSV then handed Atletico a chance to put the game in their favor, Gaston Pereiro getting sent off with his second yellow card after an aerial challenge on Godin. Atletico were not able to take advantage of their extra man though, the only chance for the Spaniards in the rest of the game coming from a long-range effort from Gabi. Atletico head back home level with PSV, and with just three losses at home this season in all competition, they will feel confident of their chances to advance.