Spurs stun City in seven goal thriller to reach semis

Quarter-final 2nd Leg

Manchester City 4-4 Tottenham Hotspur (Agg. 4-4) Tottenham progress on away goals.

After four goals were scored inside the first 11 minutes, Tottenham lost 4-3 to Manchester City but won on away goals in one of the most pulsating games of football in history to seal their first ever place in the Champions League semifinals.

Losing 1-0 on aggregate from the first leg, City took an early lead as Kevin De Bruyne’s neat one-two with Sergio Aguero saw the Belgian fire out a pass to Sterling on the left hand side. The winger cut in past Kieran Trippier onto his right foot and curled an unstoppable shot past Hugo Lloris.

However, City weren’t ahead for long as Son Heung-Min pounced three minutes later to equalise on the night and give Spurs a key away goal. Dele Alli, recovered from his recent injury, fed a throughball into the heart of City’s defence and Aymeric Laporte failed to clear — instead, knocking the ball to the onrushing Son who finished under goalkeeper Ederson’s legs.

Incredibly, Tottenham made it 2-1 on 10 minutes to extend their lead to 3-1 on aggregate. Son was again the scorer as Lucas Moura won the ball the from Laporte near the halfway line and found the South Korean who bent a fantastic shot into the top corner.

As if there hadn’t already been enough goals, City got one back a minute later. Sergio Aguero ran at Spurs’ defence and found Bernardo Silva free on the right. The Portuguese forward hit an unconvincing shot but it deflected off left-back Danny Rose and trickled over the line.

However, City were chasing more — knowing that with Tottenham’s away goal advantage, they needed to beat their rivals by two clear goals.

David Silva had a free kick that flew over and then, on 21 minutes, Sterling netted again to put City ahead 3-2. It was De Bruyne again who set him up, this time finding space down the right before firing a superb cross across the box for the England winger to tap into an empty net at the far post.

Soon after, De Bruyne found space to cut back and find Aguero, whose shot was blocked by Moussa Sissoko, then Sterling threaded a dangerous ball to David Silva who looked like he may get a shot off but Trippier recovered to make a fine block.

Sissoko came off injured, replaced by Fernando Llorente as they switched they to a narrow 4-1-2-2-1, and Son reminded City that Spurs were still capable of mounting an attack after their blistering start as he took on Kyle Walker and flashed a shot past the post just before half-time.

Two minutes after the restart, De Bruyne continued where he finished off with a bursting run that was stopped illegally by Son on the edge of the area — the Korean earning a booking that rules him out of Spurs’ next European match — but his free kick fizzed over the bar.

City were then denied an almost certain goal as Sterling was left free in the box, his shot was saved by Lloris but then Rose somehow managed to stop Bernardo Silva from netting the rebound from a few yards out.

And City continued to knock on the door as De Bruyne forced Lloris into a fine save with a powerful shot from the edge of the box. Then David Silva headed over when he should have done better from an Ilkay Gundogan free kick.

Son still looked dangerous on the break and he was denied by a fine tackle from Vincent Kompany, while Ederson was called into action twice in a short space of time: first, from a poor Llorente header and then a tame Christian Eriksen shot.

Then, much as the game had been before then, a minute later Aguero scored at the other end. De Bruyne once again provided the assist as Aguero found an inch of space in the box and lashed a hammer of a shot past Lloris and into the roof of the net to put them 4-2 up, and 4-3 ahead on aggregate.

Spurs only needed a goal to progress though and, against the run of play, got it from a corner. With Llorente jumping at the near post, the ball missed everything and hit the Spanish striker on the hip before trickling over the line. There was a short delay as VAR was asking to look at a handball, but the goal was given.

On 79 minutes, Walker swung in a cross which was met by Aguero, but Lloris dived well to gather it comfortably. City continued their wave of attacks as Spurs sat back and Gundogan smashed a volley over the bar from a tight angle with Pep Guardiola visibly angry on the touchline.

Leroy Sane came on to try and spark City into life, while Davinson Sanchez arrived to provide some defensive solidity for Spurs in the final minutes.

It didn’t work. Alli gave the ball away as Spurs massed ranks and Aguero burst into the box to square for Sterling to slot home. But VAR ruled that Aguero had been offside in the build up and the goal was ruled out. A fitting end to an incredible game. Spurs march on to meet Ajax and City are out.