Fans hailed Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes after his sensational game against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, April 11. The Brazil international helped the Cityzens keep a clean sheet in a 3-0 rout of the Bavarians in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League at the Etihad Stadium.
Many expected last night's clash to be evenly contested as Pep Guardiola and newly appointed Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel faced off against each other once again in the Champions League.
After a tense first 25 minutes, Rodri took matters into his own hands. He curled a beauty into the top corner from outside the box to give Manchester City the lead.
The game remained in the balance and Tuchel's side remained a threat. Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson was called into action, saving Leroy Sane's shot in the 47th minute. He then made another excellent save, again thwarting Sane two minutes later to preserve the hosts' lead.
Ederson was Manchester City's savior again in the 53rd and 55th minutes, making a series of stellar saves to ensure the Bavarians didn't get back into the game.
Pep Guardiola's side extended their lead in the 70th minute, thanks to a Bernardo Silva header. Erling Haaland scored his 45th goal of the season in the 76th minute to solidify a three-goal advantage for the Cityzens going into the second leg.
Their fortunes could have been different had it not been for the Brazilian shot-stopper. Ederson is renowned for his distribution, however he had an excellent game last night. He made four saves, including three diving ones. He also made five recoveries.
Fans took to Twitter to hail his performance:
Bayern Munich will have the chance to try mounting a comeback in the second leg at the Allianz Arena. The tie is scheduled to take place on April 19.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admits he is 'emotionally destroyed' after 3-0 UCL win against Bayern
Pep Guardiola admitted that last night's game against Bayern Munich was stressful to watch despite his side's emphatic 3-0 win.
Despite scoring three goals and ending the game as the dominant side, the Bavarians had multiple chances to get back into the game, particularly at the start of the second half.
Guardiola spoke to the media after the game and said (via Manchester Evening News):
"It was not comfortable. Emotionally I'm destroyed. I have 10 more years [on me] today. It was so demanding game."
"They had the chances to score goals, A corner, a header, we try to analyse many things when it’s little details. I had the feeling that other teams in the previous season had less chances than Bayern and scored goals."
Manchester City next face Leicester City in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium on April 15.