MANCHESTER (AFP) - Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany said he had lived up to a vow to "one-day" score a long-range goal after his wonder strike secured a 1-0 win at home to Leicester that left the champions in charge of the destiny of the Premier League title with a match to play.
City were heading for a frustrating evening at the Etihad Stadium on Monday until Kompany let fly with a 25-yard shot into the top corner 20 minutes from time - the centre-back's first City goal from outside the box.
Victory saw City go top by a point from Liverpool heading into Sunday's last round of league matches.
"I hadn't scored this season but I always feel in big moments that I'm going to do something, I don't know if it's a header or what," Kompany told Sky Sports.
"Today was a little bit of frustration, everyone was saying 'don't shoot, don't shoot' and I could really hear it; I thought hold on a second, I've not come this far in my career for young players to tell me if I can take a shot, and I just had a go!" Kompany insisted: "I've scored goals like that in training!
"It's 15 years I've been in top-level football, midfielders telling me 'don't shoot, play the ball wide' and every time they miss, for 15 years I've been saying 'I promise you, one day I'm going to have a shot from outside the box and I'm going to score a goal and you're going to be really happy with that one'."
'Big believer'
City manager Pep Guardiola admitted he too was among those who didn't want Kompany to let fly from distance.
"Don't shoot! Pass the ball, pass the ball!," said Guardiola when asked about his thoughts as Kompany took aim.
"Honestly, I wasn't too confident but football is mad for that. The artists are the players, they have to decide things in a fraction of a second and what's important isn't the goal, it's him shooting while believing he was going to score.
"He's a big believer and that helped us to win the game," the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss added.
"Now we don't have games every three days, he's not young and to be consistent is difficult for him every three days, but when we have a game once every week, he's an incredible player." City will be assured of retaining the title if their result away to Brighton is equal or better to what Liverpool achieve against Wolves at Anfield on Sunday.
However, a win for Liverpool and anything less for City would see the Reds secure their maiden English championship since they last won the old First Division title in 1990.
And Kompany warned: "It's a big goal, we've not achieved anything but it was an important win against a very, very strong team."
But Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who made several fine saves on Monday, said: "City are a top-class side, and we have lost to the potential champions.
"I can't see them losing their next game."
News, email and search are just the beginning. Discover more every day. Find your yodel.
Salgaocar hope for rub of the green in I-League | Goa News
Welcome to r/SingaporeRaw Community. Public speech in Singapore is heavily regulated. r/SingaporeRaw is a safe haven for Redditporeans to share
Former FAS General Secretary, Winston Lee withdraws candidacy
Spurs' Hugo Lloris warns Arsenal are still title contenders warned Tottenham not to write rivals Arsenal out of the Premier League title race. but Lloris is right to warn against complacency.
Hugo Lloris warns Tottenham they must up their game against
PARIS (Reuters) - Thieves broke in and stole luxury watches from the home of Paris St Germain's Dani Alves while the Brazilian defender was playing a match earlier this week, French sports newspaper L'Equipe reported on Saturday. Alves is the third PSG player to be targeted by thieves in recent months.
PSG's Dani Alves house burgled during match - L'Equipe
Juventus sources have reportedly denied growing speculation manager Massimiliano Allegri will depart the club to be replaced by former boss Antonio Conte. Per Football Italia, Agnelli and Allegri
Flipboard: Serie A champions Juventus deny approaching
LONDON (AP) — Manchester United moved into the Premier League's top four by beating Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage on Saturday, with Paul Pogba scoring two more goals to continue his resurgence
Arsenal Move into Top 4 with Win over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
"We needed 15 points from seven games, now it is 15 from six - we don't have room for many losses," said Solskjaer. "It is harder than it was before, but we're a very good team, so it will be
It Is Too Early To Board The Solskjaer Bandwagon At
Reds have helped change Champions League football, Lawrenson says. That is the belief of former Reds defender Mark Lawrenson, who cites the exploits of Jürgen Klopp's team - scorers of 40
Ikhsan scores again but misses in shoot-out loss
David Beckham salutes LA Galaxy and Los Angeles as statue
Football: Warriors banned from hiring foreign personnel
Sport's News. We do it our way, says Klopp after another late Liverpool win
Jurgen Klopp has vowed that Liverpool will remain positive as they battle for the Premier League title despite a wobble that has enabled Manchester City to seize the initiative. Liverpool's destiny is no longer in their own hands after a goalless draw in Sunday's Merseyside derby allowed Pep
Pep Guardiola is not concerned about the way his Manchester City players use social media, despite a post from Kyle Walker that appeared to mock Premier League title rivals Liverpool. Walker posted a picture of Harry Maguire on Twitter after the Leicester defender’s equaliser secured a 1-1 draw at Anfield on Wednesday, meaning that
Guardiola not worried about Man City players' social media
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen