Man City 1-1 Borussia Dortmund: Mario Balotelli Saves City

Mario Balotelli scored a 90th minute equaliser for Manchester City as his side were awarded a controversial penalty against Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad last night. The German Champions had earlier deservedly taken the lead through Marco Reus after substitute Jack Rodwell attempted a back pass to Hart, only for the 23 tear old to pick up the loose ball and send a drive just past the outstretched hand of Hart and in. Much had been said prior to kick off of how Dortmund defeated Manchester United in the semi-finals of the Champions League in 1996 on their way to winning the competition, and for half an hour it looked likely that the Germans would add another scalp from Manchester to their possessions. Dortmund were worthy of their lead, having peppered Harts goal with a string of attempts prior to making the breakthrough. 12 minutes in, Hart was forced into making a smart stop by tipping a Mario Gotze effort against the post, before tipping an effort by the play-maker onto the bar. City weren't without their chances either, with goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller at times just as busy as his opposite number between the sticks, doing well to tip an effort by Sergio Aguero destined for the top corner just over the bar, whilst David Silva somehow contrived to miss from point blank range after being set up by Pablo Zabaleta. Yet it was Dortmund who were on the ascendancy going into half time, as IIkay Gundogan had a shot on goal which was yet again kept out by the impressive Hart. But the resistance of the England goalkeeper couldn't last forever, and so it told fifteen minutes into the second half. After Jack Rodwell replaced the injured Javi Garcia early in the second period, the England man made a catastrophic error by passing back toward his own goal, which Reus gladly latched onto, ran into the City box and dispatched a shot that Hart could only get a couple of finger tips to on its way into the back of the net. After City's defeat to Real Madrid a fortnight ago, avoiding another defeat was imperative in this game if they were to have any realistic chance of progression. There were many similarities between the game at the Bernabeu and this one, too. Much like Real Madrid had done a fortnight ago, Dortmund took the game to City and played the better football. In fact, the German outfit could have added to their lead three times after breaking the deadlock. First, goalscorer Reus had another effort on goal blocked out by Hart, before a Gundogan strike was tipped over the bar. Lewandowski then wasted a glorious effort by failing to prod home an effort from close range. These misses would end up haunting Dortmund when, just as Madrid had done against City a fortnight ago, the Blues grabbed a 90th minute goal. Aguero attempted an acrobatic bicycle kick in the penalty area off a rebound, which hit the arm of Subotic at close range. It was harsh to give the penalty, as the defender had little chance to move out of the way, but still referee Kralovec pointed to the spot as substitute Mario Balotelli stepped up to the mark and the Italian, after some mind games employed by Weidenfeller, coolly sent the keeper the wrong way for 1-1. There would be no sliding onto the pitch in joy by Mancini, as Mourinho had done two weeks ago, as a 1-1 draw could hardly mask the fact that his men really needed a win last night as Madrid moved five points clear at the top of Group D having beaten pointless Ajax 1-3, whom City next face home and away.