Man City denied by Monaco in Champions League

Eric Dier’s late penalty handed Monaco a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday as an Erling Haaland double was not enough to give Pep Guardiola’s side the victory.

The Norwegian striker netted twice in the first half for City either side of a Jordan Teze stunner, taking his tally for the season to 11 goals in eight games in all competitions.

It looked as though the 2023 European champions would leave the principality with a second win in as many outings in this season’s league phase, but they were denied by a 90th-minute spot-kick.

Nico Gonzalez was penalised for a high boot on Dier inside the area at a Monaco free-kick, with Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano eventually pointing to the spot after a long VAR check.

Dier stepped up to send Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way from the penalty, as Monaco claimed a first point in this season’s Champions League and City moved onto four points from two outings following their win against Napoli last time out.

“That was a good game. We made some decisions, we created a lot of chances,” Guardiola told broadcaster TNT Sports.

“I don’t know if it was a penalty but it was given. So that’s that.

“Nico touched the ball first, no intention. But it is what it is. We have a point and we will take it.”

Haaland reached a half-century of goals in Europe’s elite club competition when he scored in the 2-0 defeat of the Italian champions two weeks ago, and a double strike at the Stade Louis II leaves him on 52 from 50 career Champions League appearances.

The Norwegian scored twice late on in last Saturday’s 5-1 Premier League defeat of Burnley, and he got the breakthrough quarter of an hour into this encounter.

Josko Gvardiol lifted a ball over the top of the Monaco defence into the box, and Haaland escaped the attention of his marker before meeting the pass with a lob over home goalkeeper Philipp Koehn.

Pogba watches on

This was the first meeting of the teams since a memorable last-16 tie in 2017, won on away goals by the principality side after it ended 6-6 on aggregate.

That Monaco team included a teenage Kylian Mbappe and also Bernardo Silva, who was wearing the captain’s armband for City this time.

The home team drew level from their first shot of the match in the 18th minute, with Krepin Diatta cutting the ball back to the edge of the box for Teze, the Dutchman taking a touch before lashing in a brilliant right-foot shot from 20 metres high into the net past Donnarumma.

Monaco had Paul Pogba watching from the stands as the former Manchester United midfield star continues to build up fitness with the hope of soon making his debut after signing in the close season.

Without him they had an inexperienced midfield and were struggling to keep the visitors at bay, with Phil Foden hitting the bar before City retook the lead a minute prior to the interval when Haaland headed in a cross by Nico O’Reilly.

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It seemed that would be enough for Guardiola’s men to take all three points, as they saw Tijjani Reijnders crash another effort off the bar in the second half.

Then came the contentious late penalty award which gave England international Dier the opportunity to rescue a share of the spoils for Monaco.

“We have six or seven top-level players out injured, but we never gave up,” said Monaco coach Adi Huetter.

“The players left their hearts out on the pitch. I am really proud of that. We deserved the draw.”