City have Hart and Balotelli to thank for rescuing a point (Video)

Has a side ever come to the City of Manchester Stadium and out played the hosts as much as that under Roberto Mancini’s tenure?

The answer is probably not. Out played and out thought for the best part, City, mainly down the brilliance of Joe Hart in goal, managed to rescue a late and thoroughly undeserved point from their group D encounter.

The German champions passed City off the park, with Ilkay Gundogan, Marco Reus and Mario Gotze in particular outstanding. Robert Lewandoski led the line brilliantly for Dortmund; however they were left to rue his incredible miss when Mario Balotelli came off the bench to score a late and controversial penalty.

Hart in the Manchester City goal at times kept Dortmund at bay single handedly, with it fair to say if City didn’t have the Englishman to call apon, Dortmund would have been out of sight, and City all but out of the Champions League already.

Dortmund opened the scoring on the hour mark after City substitute Jack Rodwell gave the ball away in his own half and Reus nipped in to run clear and finish past Hart. Lewandoski should have doubled his side’s lead following a beautiful pass from Gundogan; however the prolific striker somehow put wide.

Another City sub had a huge say on the game as Balotelli scored a late penalty following Neven Subotic’s handball. The decision was harsh on the Serbian defender as Sergio Aguero’s shot was from point blank range and he couldn’t really get out of the way.

The first chance of the game fell the way of Pablo Zabaleta who very much produced a full-back esc finish as he blazed harmlessly over when well placed, whilst at the other end Joe Hart did brilliantly to turn a Gotze drive onto the post.

A rare quiet period in the match followed; however Robert Weidenfeller was at his very best to save a Aguero long range effort from dipping under the cross bar.

In the ten minutes leading up to half time Hart was forced into numerous top class saves preventing Gotze twice in quick succession, turning the latter chance onto the post for the second time in the match.

David Silva missed a brilliant chance on the strike of half-time as he volleyed horribly over after a brilliant Zabaleta cross, and with the following attack Dortmund should’ve scored after  Lewandoski and Gundogen played a lovely one-two, but the latter couldn’t convert when one on one with Hart.

Dortmund finally made their pressure count as Reus collected a poor Rodwell pass to run through and beat Hart. England’s number one got a hand on the ball; however Reus’s finish was calm and taken well.

Reus and Gundogan again were repelled by Hart, before Lewandoski’s incredible miss and the Polish international was made to pay after Nevan Subotic handled late on and Balotelli stole the most unlikely of points.

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