The funny thing about the Manchester City goal is Phil Foden dribbling out of the box right before it develops. For a second you’re like what are you doing Foden, why not try to go and score!
I mean look at the image of where Foden gets the soccer ball in the box. But Foden does lose the ball or anything at least, I guess. He instead, almost strangely, dribbles way outside the box and lays it off to the defender Manuel Akanji. Who then smartly charges back towards the goal and slips a clever pass to Bernardo Silva – the most creative and best player for Manchester City all game.
Silva cuts the ball back and the on running defender for Inter Milan, Francesco Acerbi, with his hands behind his back, has the ball deflect off of him perfectly to on an running Rodri, who calmly bends the ball into the back of the net past Inter Milan keeper Andre Onana.
It was maybe the one and only time Inter Milan didn’t block a cross or pass cleanly enough – didn’t get a foot on the soccer ball to disrupt Manchester City in some way.
The goal comes in the 67th minute, when perhaps Inter Milan started to get a bit tired. Legs feeling heavy. Federico Dimarco does nearly cut out the Akanji pass to Silva with an outstretched leg.
But it’s funny to see Foden, dribble away from goal like that. İlkay Gündoğan keeps possession of the ball deep in the corner area and plays the ball to Foden. And Foden doesn’t look to shoot or find a pass near goal. I would have liked to seen the expression on Guardiola’s face when Foden was leaving the goal box.
Foden does it fairly often actually though. Dribbling away from the box area. Which I guess Guardiola likes or is fine with.
Interestingly, it draws the Inter Milan defense away from goal – moves the line out of the space Manchester City want to move into, you might say. And that is where Akanji comes into play. His first touch is right back towards goal and he slips in a pass perfectly weighted pass for Silva to run on to. Plus, Rodri isn’t far away from the play but right there to run on to the ball and pass it into the goal – slot it home.
Foden had a genius spin turn and run at goal where he should have made it 2-0. So he doesn’t always shy away from trying to attack or score near the box!
Foden could become an exceptional football player if he can start to dribble at teams like this more often and score goals. He is just 23 year old and in many ways the future key player for Manchester City, along with Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish.
You have to feel bad for Romelu Lukaku. Whose header was saved by the foot of Emerson. Lukaku seems cursed of late as far as scoring goals. Even worse, Lukaku also ends up blocking a header from Dimarco after his first header hit the crossbar. Soccer is a funny game sometimes.
