Sergio Aguero scored a 90th-minute penalty as Manchester City came from behind to beat Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 in Group D this evening.
After Raffael's penalty was kept out by Joe Hart in the first half, Gladbach recovered well to take the lead with a calm finish from Lars Stindl early in the second half.
Nicolas Otamendi responded with an equaliser, and Aguero made the difference when it mattered to win the penalty and score from the spot late on.
Below, Sports Mole takes a look at the key talking points.
Match statistics
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
Shots: 13
On target: 6
Possession: 35%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 15
MANCHESTER CITY
Shots: 26
On target: 7
Possession: 65%
Corners: 11
Fouls: 7
Was the result fair?
It really is harsh on Gladbach to walk away without a point after playing their part in a thrilling game with some fantastic counter-attacking moves, but City's response to falling behind means they probably deserved the victory. An entertaining first half saw both midfields struggle to slow down the pace of attacks at both ends as the two sides traded breaks on a frequent basis.
Hart's first-half display was key. Had he not stopped Raffael's penalty, or if Gladbach were given the second penalty they deserved when Fernandinho tripped Stindl, it could have been a very different story. It was the Stindl opener which changed the game as City quickly woke up to look after the ball better and add a cutting edge to their play. Gladbach were unable to keep out the visitors in the closing stages and a City winner looked almost inevitable. For long spells they were not at their best, but City did just enough to earn all three points.
Borussia Monchengladbach's performance
After losing six successive games in all competitions during a difficult start to the season, this fixture looked like a routine away win a couple of weeks ago. That was before interim manager Andre Schubert replaced Lucien Favre. He has reinvigorated this talented squad and Gladbach looked more like the side which entertained on so many occasions in the Bundesliga last season.
The gameplan was easy to see from the hosts. They chased the ball impressively in an attempt to keep the likes of David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne on their toes, but in truth, Gladbach were always looking to cause problems for City at the other end of the pitch. Despite missing a penalty, Raffael was fantastic in his role as the leader on the break. He threatened with his pace and direct approach, which allowed the likes of Stindl and Patrick Herrmann to find space on a regular basis.
Conceding twice after claiming the lead would usually result in the finger being pointed at the defence, but it would be wrong to criticise Andreas Christensen or Alvaro Dominguez, who combined to frustrate Aguero for so long until the Argentine had the final say from the penalty spot. Gladbach had their chances. The missed penalty and the string of superb saves from Hart were key. It could have been a famous win, but they must take some positives from this display.
Man City's performance
It was a mixed night for Manuel Pellegrini's side, but after receiving so much criticism in the last couple of weeks, displaying impressive resilience to clinch the points was admirable. Defensively, there are clearly problems when Vincent Kompany is out of action. Otamendi and Martin Demichelis always looked vulnerable, and the centre-back partners were too often caught out of position when Gladbach stepped up the tempo on the break. Yaya Toure did his side no favours by being wasteful in possession and allowing midfield runners to go beyond him regularly, but the visitors seemed to be forced into action by Stindl's strike.
City created opportunities throughout the first half, but after being saved by Hart on so many occasions, their key players came to life in the final half-hour of the game. De Bruyne's influence on the game grew quickly and Raheem Sterling also started to make an impact after being kept on the fringes of the game for so long. It may have been the City attackers who changed the game, but it was Pellegrini's decision to bring Fernando on alongside Fernadinho which proved to be key. They added extra protection for the defence, which allowed the visitors to get organised quicker when Gladbach launched a counter-attack.
During the more frantic spells of attacking football, tactics and shape appeared to go out of the window but this win was about patience and resilience. Pellegrini watched his side probe away at the Gladbach defence and they finally recorded the win which could be the turning point after a couple of frustrating weeks.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Joe Hart: The award was decided at the half-time interval. No other player could have a greater impact on the game than the England goalkeeper, whose superb form in the first half kept City on level terms. His save from the Raffael penalty was impressive and he denied the forward twice more, while also making an excellent stop to keep out Herrmann. Aguero may have clinched the points, but there is no doubt who the star man was at Borussia Park.
Biggest gaffe
This goes to the official behind the goal. There was more than one mistake, but his failure to spot a Demichelis volley cross the line before Otamendi equalised seconds later was much worse than anything a player could have done tonight.
Referee performance
Clement Turpin did not enjoy his best night at the office. After pointing to the spot once in the first half, he should have done the same before the break when Fernandinho clearly brought down Stindl. Instead, he showed a yellow card to the Gladbach attacker for diving. Add the failure of all of the officials to spot the ball crossing the line before Otamendi equalised and it was a poor night for the referee.
What next?
Monchengladbach: Schubert must now rally the troops as Gladbach switch their focus to Saturday's Bundesliga clash with Wolfsburg.
Man City: Pellegrini's side will look to recover from successive Premier League defeats when they host Newcastle United on Saturday.
Callum Mulvihill
