HOFFENHEIM 1, MANCHESTER CITY 2
Manchester City had to rely on goals from veteran players Sergio Aguero and David Silva to dig them out of a hole in Germany after they fell behind to Hoffenheim after just 44 seconds.
City’s Champions League campaign this season got off to a bad start with a 2-1 home defeat against Lyon last month – their fourth straight defeat in the competition.
City boss Pep Guardiola shuffled his pack – opting to go with the solidity of Aymeric Laporte at left back with senior full backs Benjamin Mendy and Fabian Delph unavailable.
Ilkay Gundogan and Vincent Kompany came into the side with Bernardo Silva and Oleksandr Zinchenko stepping down.
Hoffenheim were in poor shape with five central defenders and three midfielders missing due to injury leaving their defence looking inexperienced.
But the home side got a shock lead through striker Ishak Belfodil threaded the ball through City goalkeeper Ederson’s legs within a minute of the kick off.
After such a nervous start, City were back on terms after just seven minutes when Sergio Aguero converted Leroy Sane’s cutback after David Silva had released the young winger.
City couldn’t find a way to breach the German defence again and missed good chances through Raheem Sterling and Aguero.
Sane should have been awarded a stonewall penalty in the second half after Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann brought down the flying City winger in the second half but the referee bizarrely decided to play on.
It was looking a lot like City would have to be content with just a point after two Champions League games before Silva popped up in the 87th minute, reacting first when inexperienced centre back Stefan Posch dawdled on an intercepted cross from Bernardo Silva just long enough for the wily Spaniard to rob him and fire in the winner into the far corner.
Victory raised City back up to second in their Champions League group behind Lyon.