FC Copenhagen 0, Manchester City 0
FC Copenhagen became the first side this season to prevent 10-man Manchester City from scoring after Sergio Gomez was sent off.
Embed from Getty ImagesErling Haaland was not named in the starting line-up in Denmark and City boss Pep Guardiola resisted the temptation to bring him on as City subsequently failed to score a goal for the first time in 24 games and their six game winning run was ended in Copenhagen.
City had a goal chalked off, missed a penalty, and had a man sent off in an eventful VAR affected first half of their Champions League game at FC Copenhagen.
VAR had a hand in all three major incidents in the first half – Gomez was the man sent off after a VAR review after Riyad Mahrez missed a penalty, but before all that a fabulous goal by Rodri was ruled out for handball by the luckless Algerian.
While the second half held few thrills, City held on for a creditable draw after finding it tough with ten men against their hosts who only had one shot on target in the game.
Commenting on the game, Rodri said: “We will fight till the end, but it was difficult with 10 against 11.
“Losing the goal was disappointing, we missed a [Riyad Mahrez] penalty and then the red card [against Sergio Gomez] changed the game.
“We wanted to come here to win but we got an important point – we can’t be sad after going down to ten.”
City made 5 changes from the weekend game, with Erling Haaland starting on the bench for the first time this season and joined on the bench by Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, and Nathan Ake.
Starting in their stead was Julian Alvarez, Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, Ilkay Gundogan, and Sergio Gomez.
It all started so well for City who were threatening to make an early start in Denmark to wrap up the group.
And after 11 minutes Rodri unleashed a missile of a shot into the top corner from 25 yards out after Julian Alvarez laid the ball off to him.
It would have been Rodri’s first ever goal in the Champions League but it was harshly ruled out after a VAR check because of a handball in the build up by Riyad Mahrez.
Lukas Lerager had a shot tipped over the bar by Ederson who also punched away the subsequent penalty.
VAR then intervened again to invite the referee to check for a penalty for handball in the Danish area which was subsequently given against Nicolai Boilesen after 24 minutes.
Mahrez then stepped up but Kamil Grabara guessed right and tipped away the spot kick – the 24th penalty that City have failed to score under Guardiola – nine more than any Premier League side since Guardiola took charge of City.
After making 12 saves in the reverse fixture the Polish goalkeeper was in fine form again at the Parken Stadium.
Sergio Gomez initially escaped censure after dragging down Hakon Arnar Haraldsson just outside the edge of the box but the referee was once again invited to review the chance and almost inevitably sent off the Spaniard.
With just half an hour elapsed City were down to ten men for the first time in the first half of a Champions League game and the 19-year old Haraldsson’s subsequent free kick hit the wall.
Ruben Dias replaced Mahrez as Pep Guardiola made a tactical change to counter Copenhagen who started to be more adventurous.
City needed Dias in the second half as Copenhagen started on the front foot in the second half and attacked City from the restart.
Grabara tipped away a curling effort from Kevin De Bruyne who also hit the side netting after Jack Grealish found him with a through ball.
Isak Bergmann Johannesson replaced Haraldsson after an hour with the scores still tied and the home side started to see more of the ball.
Johannesson almost got on the end of a cross from the left with 17 minutes to go.
And City were hit by another injury blow as Manuel Akanji fell awkwardly on his shoulder.
City made two late changes with Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva coming on for Grealish and De Bruyne with 12 minutes to go.
Joao Cancelo saw his long range shot tipped away by Grabara 6 minutes from the end and Alvarez nodded the resulting corner over the bar at the near post.
Nathan Ake replaced Aymeric Laporte with 2 minutes to go as City resigned themselves to the draw.
Marko Stamenic had found enough space for two hopeful shots but in the end City were satisfied with keeping their unbeaten record intact this season.