MAN CITY 1, SHAKHTAR DONETSK 1
It was mission accomplished as underwhelming Manchester City’s draw against Shakhtar Donetsk ensured progress to the knockout phase of the Champions League for the seventh successive season.
The point also ensured they finish top of group C and will therefore avoid other group victors in the round of 16 knockout phase.
City, convincing 3-0 winners in Ukraine in September, were desperately poor by their usual high standards.
European nights at the Etihad continue to lack passion and are a far cry from those at Liverpool where those games under the lights at Anfield are magical occasions.
City fans have never embraced the Champions League and this was a case again from the pre-match chorus of boos to UEFA’s anthem to the game itself.
Indeed, at times the most entertaining aspect of the game was the spectator with a megaphone trying to whip up the crowd at the Etihad which was again below capacity.
City laboured but looked like they might scrape a 1-0 victory thanks to Ilkay Gundogan’s strike early in the second half, his third goal of the season.
Spirited Shakhtar were rewarded with a goal from Israeli substitute Manor Solomon which they deserved.
City were restricted to 16 goal attempts and not many of them were clear-cut as Shakhtar defended resolutely and were dangerous on the counter attack throughout as they remained second in the group and with a fighting chance of progressing with only one group game remaining.
Embed from Getty ImagesManager Pep Guardiola explained the most important thing was qualifying for the knockout phase, their objective at the start of the season.
City’s manager admitted his side was not at its best, explaining: “There were good things in the game, but also things we need to improve.
“We are in the next stage and that is the most important thing wen you start the group stage.
“It is a lot seven years in a row and means we have qualified seven times to go through.”
Guardiola praised Shakhtar, explaining: “They have a lot of quality. I have played against them many times when I was at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
“They have a lot of Brazilian players and it is not easy. They play so deep and were dangerous on the counter attack.”
Guardiola added his side can now concentrate on the Premier League until the Champions League returns in February.
And he expressed a desire to see all four English teams reach the knockout phase after Tottenham went through while Chelsea and Liverpool are well placed to follow suit.
City made five changes to the side that beat Chelsea on Saturday.
Sergio Aguero was ruled out through injury and also losing their places were David Silva, Riyad Mahrez, John Stones and Benjamin Mendy.
Gabriel Jesus replaced Aguero and there were also recalls for Nicolas Otamendi, Angelino, Gundogan and Bernardo Silva.
After an uneventful opening, the Ukrainian side almost snatched a shock 14th minute lead.
Goalkeeper Ederson sprinted from his line to clear danger only to completely miss the ball.
Brazilian Tete was through on the right and the 19-year-old cut in and looked as though he could not miss until Fernandinho got black to block his goalbound shot and deflect it for a corner.
Junior Moraes also had a shot turned over by Ederson as Shakhtar were a threat on the break.
City managed only two goal attempts in the opening half hour as Gundogan and Rodri were both easily denied by goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov.
Indeed, in the opening 45 minutes City created only five goal attempts, poor by the high standards they have set.
Shakhtar, meanwhile, also had five and were unlucky not to be ahead on the balance of play in the first 45 minutes.
The breakthrough came 11 minutes after the restart when Gundogan found the net.
Kevin De Bruyne began the move on the right with a pass to Jesus in the box.
As Pyatov dived at his feet, the striker squared a pass to Gundogan to sweep home from 12 yards.
Shakhtar, to their credit, remained positive and were rewarded when substitute Manor Solomon equalised with 21 minutes left.
Tete released Dodo on the right and he cut the ball back for Solomon, who had only been on the pitch for barely one minute, to sweep home a low shot from 10 yards.
David Silva replaced De Bruyne before the restart and City almost immediately regained the lead when Jesus set up by David Silva whose shot was cleared off the line by centre-back Serhiy Kryvtsov.
Phil Foden replaced Rodri with 14 minutes left, City’s second change as the game petered out into a tame draw.