UEFA Champions League Final - Bayer Leverkusen 2-4 Atletico Madrid [[Final - Manchester City 5-3 AS Monaco

Manchester City overcame Monaco
in an eight-goal thriller at the
Etihad Stadium, coming from
behind to run out 5-3 winners in
their Champions League round-
of-16 first leg.
Radamel Falcao's brace had looked
to set Monaco on their way to a 3-2
victory after the hour-mark, but
goals from Sergio Aguero -- his
second of the night -- John Stones
and Leroy Sane turned the game on
its head.
The match got off to a lively start
with both sides showing plenty of
attacking intent, though the first
real chance did not come until the
15th minute when Raheem Sterling
attempted to round Danijel Subasic,
with the loose ball falling to Aguero
who tried to beat the Monaco
keeper from a tight angle only to
see his effort saved.
Monaco had an opportunity of their
own to break the deadlock after 18
minutes when Benjamin Mendy
was picked out by Kylian Mbappe,
but he was unable to beat Willy
Caballero at his near post.
A minute later and the visitors had
another sight of goal after Yaya
Toure failed to clear a corner and
the ball fell to Kamil Glik at the far
post, but the defender sent his
header wide from close range.
City managed to open the scoring in
the 26th minute through Sterling,
who arrived in the box to convert
Sane's cross from close range after
the Germany international had
linked up well with David Silva.
However, Monaco were level six
minutes later as Falcao got on the
end of a Fabinho cross to head
home after the Brazilian had
intercepted a poor Caballero
clearance.
City thought they had a penalty
moments later when Aguero,
through on goal, went to ground
after attempting to round Subasic
but the striker was shown a yellow
card for allegedly diving.
Mbappe had a chance to edge
Monaco in front on 36 minutes
when Falcao's flick-on played the
ball into his path inside the box but
he sent his effort just over the bar.
Mbappe did not make the same
mistake four minutes later, though,
when latching onto Fabinho's ball
over the top that opened up the
City defence, with the 18-year-old
firing first time into the roof of the
net to stun the home support.
It could well have been another just
before the break for Monaco --
dangerous with every attack against
a struggling City defence -- when
Falcao found himself free with the
ball inside the area but he could
only strike into side netting.
Monaco started the second half as
they ended the first and won a
penalty just four minutes after the
restart when Nicolas Otamendi was
adjudged to have brought down
Falcao in the area.
Falcao got back on to his feet to
take the penalty, but his weak effort
was comfortably saved by Caballero
who guessed the right way.
City were gifted a way back into the
game in the 58th minute by Subasic
when Aguero, who had been played
in by Sterling, fired a strike straight
at him that he somehow allowed to
slip through his fingers and into the
back of the net.
But just two minutes later and
Monaco's advantage was restored
when Falcao outmuscled Stones in
the box before clipping a stunning
chip over Caballero.
The game continued to remain
open as the second half wore on
with another chance presenting
itself to Mbappe on 69 minutes, but
the forward's effort from a tight
angle smashed into the side
netting.
Two minutes later and City had
levelled the game again, with Silva
picking out Aguero from the corner
and the Argentina international
burying a volley into the far corner.
And after 77 minutes the hosts had
completed the turnaround when
Stones arrived at the far post to
turn Toure's header into the back of
the net to send the Etihad wild.
Aguero could have added another
for City just a few moments later
only to see his strike saved, before
Mane did make it five on 82
minutes, slotting home from close
range after being teed up by the
Argentine.
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