Manchester City Makes To Semifinal For The First Time

Kevin De Bruyne was once again the hero as Manchester City advanced to the semifinals of the Champions League by beating PSG 1-0 at the Etihad, and 3-2 on aggregate.

City started well, but it was PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic who first tested the goalkeeper -- Joe Hart having to push the Sweden international's powerful free kick over the bar. The home side should have taken the lead on the half hour when goalkeeper Kevin Trapp felled Sergio Aguero as he ran through into the box.

Trapp could have seen red, but the referee only chose to produce the yellow. Aguero picked himself up to take the penalty, but fired well wide to give PSG a reprieve. PSG struggled to get any kind of foothold in the game and regularly gave the ball away. On one of those occasions, Jesus Navas was gifted the ball on the edge of the PSG area, but he curled an effort well wide.

The Ligue 1 champions task was made harder just before the interval when they lost Thiago Motta to a thigh injury, Lucas Moura coming on in his place. Ibrahimovic again tested Hart with a set-piece at the start of the second half, curling an effort around the wall which the goalkeeper parried away.

Thiago Silva then mistimed a header from a corner in the 65th minute, which Hart was able to bat over the bar. After a dull second half, City finally broke the deadlock in the 76th minute. Following a period of pressure the ball fell to Kevin De Bruyne inside the D, and he shifted it before superbly finding the bottom corner with his right foot.

That left PSG needing two goals to advance with City holding the advantage on away goals. Edinson Cavani almost got one when sent through on goal, but Hart came out superbly to smoother the shot. Ibrahimovic thought he had brought a goal back in the 86th minute but was clearly offside when the ball was played through for him to head home. There was no way back for PSG, and City move into the last four for the first-ever time. Usman Mohammed. Department of Mass Communication. IBB University, Lapai-Niger State. 07060815443