Swansea City vs. Manchester City: Score, Reaction from 2016 Premier League Game
Manchester City played out a 1-1 draw with Swansea City on the final day of the 2015-16 Premier League season, effectively securing qualification for next year's UEFA Champions League.
Kelechi Iheanacho gave the Citizens an early lead, but the visitors failed to put Swansea away, and Andre Ayew equalised just before half-time with a deflected free-kick.
The result virtually guaranteed City a spot in the top four, as rivals Manchester United trail their neighbours by 18 goals in the goal-difference column. The Red Devils are still to play Bournemouth after their fixture was abandoned, reported by the Guardian, but it would take a miracle result to deny City Champions League football.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
As shared by City’s official Twitter account, Iheanacho was given another start alongside Sergio Aguero in attack against Swansea, while Gael Clichy started at left-back:
City knew a win in Wales would guarantee the team a top-four finish, and manager Manuel Pellegrini’s men took control of the ball early in an attempt to avoid any setbacks.
The plan worked, as the visitors took the lead in the fifth minute with their first real chance of the match. Kevin De Bruyne and Aguero combined to create an opening for the latter, and though the shot was saved, the rebound fell straight for Iheanacho.
As shared by WhoScored.com, the youngster has been quite the revelation for City this season:
Swansea thought they had pulled level after 10 minutes, but Jefferson Montero’s close-range header was correctly ruled out for a foul in the buildup.
At the other end, Aguero found some space to pull the trigger, firing a hard shot into the side-netting.
Swansea recovered well from the early goal and seemed the more comfortable team in possession, but it didn't lead to many chances. Montero should have timed a pass better as Wayne Routledge made a smart run into the box, but his team-mate spotted just too late.
De Bruyne fired a shot at Kristoffer Nordfeldt, and Iheanacho missed several good opportunities despite the acres of space he found himself in, per Bleacher Report UK's Sam Tighe:
Nordfeldt produced a fine stop to deny Aguero, one of the more active Citizens on the day, and the Argentinian tried his luck again a few minutes later. City increased the pressure, and Iheanacho should have done better after the hosts gave away possession in a promising position.
City's missed chances proved costly just before half-time, as Ayew pulled his team level with a deflected free-kick. Per Squawka Football, the Ghana international tends to reserve his goals for elite opponents:
City started the second half at a faster pace, and De Bruyne found Eliaquim Mangala with a superb cross, but the France international just headed over. Minutes later, Iheanacho couldn't sort his feet out in time to push the ball over the line from close range.
Possession still belonged mostly to the hosts, but City mustered nearly all of the chances. Aguero was desperate for a goal, but his finishing let him down, and he fired a half-volley wide of the mark after 62 minutes.
BlueMoonRisingTV wasn't too impressed:
Fernandinho also didn't have his best outing, evidenced when he fired a shot several yards wide. Iheanacho missed another good chance with his final touch of the match before Pellegrini replaced him with Samir Nasri.
But even with the Frenchman adding a dash of creativity to the attack, City's efforts in the final 20 minutes were stale. De Bruyne found himself at the centre of almost every attacking move, but with 10 minutes left to go, his team-mates appeared to settle for the draw and no longer attacked with the same conviction.
A draw was all City needed, however, ensuring new manager Pep Guardiola will be leading the team into the Champions League in his first season at the Etihad Stadium, barring an extraordinary result in United's final game.
Post-Match Reaction
Per Sky Sports Football, Pellegrini was happy to finish his career with City on a high note:
While the team fell short of the lofty ambitions in the 2015-16 campaign, the solid finish means the foundations are there for Guardiola to hit the ground running, and the former Barcelona boss will get to guide the talented squad in the Champions League in his first season.
With players like De Bruyne and Iheanacho impressing in their first full season with the club, the immediate future looks bright for the Citizens, who are expected to add several star players to the squad during the summer.
