Manchester City secured high spot in Group E following a largely uneventful 0-0 draw with Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.
City went closest to breaking the impasse when Riyad Mahrez’s second-half penalty was saved they usually stay unbeaten and are assured of high spot in Group E with one sport to play.
The level was additionally sufficient for Dortmund, who have been intent on maintaining a clear sheet after having the higher of the primary half, they usually too are assured a spot within the final 16.
Erling Haaland had scant probability to make an impression in opposition to his former membership and was changed on the interval.
Guardiola handed goalkeeper Stefan Ortega his membership debut and England defender John Stones returned to motion for the primary time in seven matches after recovering from a hamstring damage.
Nathan Ake, Ilkay Gundogan, Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden additionally returned to the beginning line-up, whereas Ederson, Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Manuel Akanji and Aymeric Laporte have been all rested.
With City already assured of their place within the knockout part and some extent ok to see Dortmund via, the opening exchanges lacked any actual tempo.
City goalkeeper Ortega made his first save together with his legs within the sixteenth minute when Karim Adeyemi stayed on facet to run via on aim.
Adeyemi was instrumental once more as Dortmund started to stretch City’s again 4, first selecting out Giovanni Reyna on the left fringe of the world after a flowing transfer, however the latter’s curling effort was properly held by Ortega.
Germany ahead Adeyemi then produced a superb low cross into the trail of Youssoufa Moukoko, who let the ball run throughout him earlier than side-footing huge.
Teenage striker Moukoko mixed with Adeyemi once more and compelled Ortega into one other save.
City had 66 per cent of first-half possession, however by no means troubled Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, with Nathan Ake’s towering header from Phil Foden’s free-kick simply earlier than the break flying over the crossbar.
Dortmund have been first to threaten after the restart when Jude Bellingham failed to attach correctly together with his shot inside the world earlier than City spurned the possibility to take the lead after being gifted a 57th-minute penalty.
Mahrez went down underneath Emre Can’s reckless problem, however the City winger’s subsequent spot kick was comfortably saved by Kobel, to the delight of the house crowd.
City continued to dominate the ball and commenced to pose a higher menace as Alvarez’s first-time volley was properly saved by Kobel.
But with the scoreline sufficient to ship each groups via, there was little urgency within the closing levels with neither facet creating additional possibilities.
Source: www.impartial.co.uk
