Was Tottenham Manchester City a UCL Game for the Ages?

Facing off for the second of three times over 10 days, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur put on quite a show in the second-leg of the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals.

In a word, yes.

Tottenham Hotspur had done the job in the first leg, eking out a 1-0 home win on a well taken goal by Heung-Min Son. With a goal in hand, Spurs knew they held a slight edge on Manchester City coming into this critical second-leg in Manchester. However, less than 15 minutes into the game the whole complexion of the game and had changed and the tone of the evening had been set, this was going to be a wild affair where the last goal was going to win. But we always knew this match was about more than just two football teams.

Around 3:40 into the game Kevin De Bruyne was driving hard with the ball on the dribble in the middle of the pitch. This was a sight that Spurs fans and players alike had tired of by the end of the night, as De Bruyne was one of the best players on the pitch all evening. On this instance the defense collapsed centrally as De Bruyne drove, before laying it off to Raheem Sterling wide left.

One touch centrally and Sterling had a clear shot that inched over Toby Alderwiereld’s head and past Hugo Lloris’ hand as it flew into the far post. Kieran Trippier was too far inside when the original pass was played and too slow stepping up as Sterling cut inside. Less than 4 minutes into the game, Spurs’ game-plan was shot, and the match was tied on aggregate. If the next 86+ minutes held, this game was going to go to extra time.

About three minutes later Spurs responded with aplomb. Lucas received the ball near midfield and began driving toward the City goal. He then played the ball to Dele Alli who was open centrally. I’m not sure what Dele was trying to do with the ball, but he ultimately played it to City defender Laporte.

Caught off-balance, Laporte failed to clear the ball, instead playing a nice lay-off to Son, who took one touch and blasted past Ederson right up the middle, 1-1 on the night; 1-2 Spurs on aggregate. The away goal for Spurs was critical as City now had to score three goals on the might to win the match. Advantage Spurs and this game was going to be decided in 90 minutes.

Less than three minutes later, a hush fell over the City faithful as Laporte had a bad touch near midfield and that was all it took. Again, Lucas Moura pounced and drove hard toward the goal. This time he found Christian Eriksen who knew what to do with the ball, crossing it to Son. Two touches later it was 1-2 Spurs on the night and 1-3 on aggregate as Son beat Ederson to the far post.

Less than 10 minutes into the game and already 3 goals had been seen in the contest. Any bad touch was being punished with relentless pressure from both teams, forcing the mistakes that were leading to goals. Unfortunately for Spurs this continued for another minute.

Sergio Aguero picked up the ball centrally turned and found Bernardo Silva wide open on the right. Danny Rose had pinched in to help cover De Bruyne, who had just run like a freight train straight into the box. Much like the first goal, the Spurs fullback was late coming over, allowing Bernardo all the time he needed. One touch to control and the second was a strike that bounced off the inside of Rose’s leg. The deflection left Hugo Lloris in no-man’s land as the ball bounced by his sprawling leg into the goal.

Less than 11 minutes into the game and now we had 4 goals on the night, in a rapidly escalating 2-2. Spurs still held a 2-3 lead on aggregate, but it was clear there were more goals in this barn burner.

The 13th minute saw a little defense as Toby Alderwiereld cleared a Sterling cross and then Ederson played sweeper keeper beating Son to a long ball about 30 yards from goal. After 7 minutes without a goal, the longest stretch of the game, it seemed maybe the defense was taking hold and the game would settle in, but no one told the teams.

After Victor Wanyama’s second foul – the first led to a David Silva free kick – De Bruyne played a quick restart pushing the ball forward to Bernardo Silva. As Bernardo held the ball up De Bruyne sprinted to overlap around his back. A little touch out to De Bruyne found the Belgian in acres of space which he knew was to do with. De Bruyne played a perfect pass across the front of the goal mouth that went by eight different players before finding Sterling’s boot at the back post.

Sterling made a training ground play of it and banged it back where it came from past Lloris, 3-2 City on the night and 3-3 on aggregate. As a Spurs fan it was disappointing that Tripps didn’t give up his body at the back-post to block the shot, but he didn’t seem to know Sterling was there.

20 minutes in and we had five goals on the night, incredible. To say the game was stretched was an understatement as the ball went back and forth for the rest of the first half. The biggest even over the last 25 minutes of the half had to be the Spurs loss of Moussa Sissoko.

Originally, it seemed Sissoko tweaked his groin around 34 minutes. After trying to make a go of it to only sit on the pitch three times, five minutes later Sissoko’s night was over and Mauricio Pochettino had a big decision to make.

Oliver Skipp was the closest thing to a like-for-like on the bench, but at only 18-years of age was this the moment for the youngster? Then the camera pans down and you see Davison Sanchez warming up. With the game still theirs on aggregate with the away-goal, were Spurs going to drop into a back three? At 41 minutes as Sissoko limped off, on came Fernando Llorente.

I’ve been critical of Llorente at times this season, but he has done what he can. No matter what you think of Llorente, the intent was clear, if Spurs were going to win this affair it was because they were going to outscore City over the two legs, not simply survive. It was a brave decision by Pochettino and the kind needed on a night like this.

Son had one last chance near 42 minutes, but his left-footer curled wide of the far post after he beat Kyle Walker 1-on-1 on the left. A few minutes later and one of the most incredible halves of football one could ever experience or see was over. 3-2 City on the evening, 3-3 Spurs leading with the away goals on aggregate.

The second-half kick-off occurred and any thoughts that either side would go into a defensive shell quickly faded as Jan Vertonghen booted the ball down the field to Llorente trying to play target up top. Within a minute the full field was in play again and the stretched, exciting football of the first-half was back.

Following a questionable – and costly as Son is out for the first-leg versus Ajax – yellow card on Heung-Min Son as the top of the box, when Spurs couldn’t clear the ball, it found its way out wide to David Silva. Silva played a nice cross to Sterling who took a first-time side-footed shot. Lloris got down and saved the ball with two hands but left a rebound. It looked like Bernardo was going to get his second goal on the evening, until Rose came sliding in to clear the ball. On a night like this one, desperation was the best defense for either team.

City continued to dominate possession and began creating more chances, none better than at 53 minutes when in a reversal Aguero found De Bruyne. De Bruyne took a touch and then blasted a strong right-footed shot toward the far post. Partially un-sighted, Lloris got a late jump on the ball but got a strong left arm up and parried the shot beyond the far post.

Add the penalty save from the first-match and you have two world class saves by Lloris that kept his team alive. Despite the goals conceded, it wasn’t mental errors on Hugo’s part and he came up big when he could.

Spurs then got a couple minutes of possession and it almost paid off. Dele chipped the ball into Llorente who had beaten Laporte to the ball only to mistime his header giving Ederson the split second he needed to make the save. A minute later disaster struck for Spurs.

Kevin De Bruyne again was carrying the ball up the middle of the pitch and laid off the ball into the path of Sergio Aguero. Spurs fans have seen this scene before as Aguero blasted the ball past Lloris near post. For the first time in over 140 minutes of football, City held the lead on aggregate 4-3 and was up 4-2 on the evening. Things looked bleak for Spurs and with all the injuries that have occurred, there wasn’t much firepower on the bench.

With 30 minutes left, Spurs needed something to win this game, the good news is that City doesn’t know what it means to park the bus, so Spurs were going to get another chance, could they capitalize.

At 71 minutes Son had won Spurs a corner. As Rose sailed the ball to the back post, Ederson rose up but couldn’t hang onto the ball, as it bounced off his hands for another corner. City would regret Spurs getting a second chance from the corner spot. Trippier drove a sweet inswinger into the box, which glanced off Vincent Kompany’s head and bounced off Llorente past Ederson into the goal.

As Spurs players began to celebrate all of the City players began to ask for VAR claiming a hand-ball. In a VAR first for UEFA Champions League the referee ran over to a little TV on the sideline and watched repl after replay. Maybe the ball glanced off his arm, but it clearly came off his thigh for the final touch. Llorente’s arm was in on his body and it was clear the video was inconclusive. As such, the referee could not overturn the goal, it was still City 4-3 on the night, but it was Spurs leading 4-4 on aggregate thanks to the away goal rules.

After the review was completed, Spurs had 15 minutes and injury time to see out to beat Manchester City and advance to the Semifinals. But the drama on the evening was not over. Both teams found time to make a few subs and VAR found time to make one more big call.

It was at 92:30, half-way into the injury time when it looked like Spurs were going to successfully play out of the back. Then Eriksen tried to play a back-pass under pressure which was deflected into the air. On ran Sergio Aguero who took a touch then crossed it to Raheem Sterling who managed to slot the ball past Hugo Lloris. 5-3 City, 5-4 on aggregate, the dream was over, and it was pandemonium at the Etihad.

Then was Mauricio Pochettino throwing his jacket to the ground and Spurs players were looking dejected, a replay was shown and suddenly there was a question. Aguero had possibly come from an onside position to get the ball that led to the goal. As the referee put his hand to his ear the crowd suddenly was suddenly beginning to quiet.

As the referee made the rectangle noting a VAR decision, he lifted his left arm and pointed to a spot inside the penalty area, Aguero was offside! The scoreboard confirmed the decision and the wind blew out of the sails of 60,000 spectators who just 1 minute earlier were elated. Now, it was Tottenham who felt joy and City still had work to do.

Four minutes later the final whistle blew and that was it, Spurs won 4-4 on aggregate with that away goal. Earlier this year not having an away goal rule cost Spurs a shot at the Carabao Cup, UEFA still awards the road teams coming to play and it was Spurs turn to benefit. As City left dejected, Spurs and their fans were in ecstasy.

Now a semifinal clash with a young Ajax is in front of Spurs. Kane is still out hurt, Son is out on yellow cards, Winks, Lamela, Sissoko, and Aurier are all questionable. But it doesn’t matter because Spurs are through and at some point, maybe just maybe destiny is on your side, only time and another 180 minutes of football will tell. On to the semis and the next greatest UEFA Champions League Game ever!