* Manchester City kicked off the defense of the crown with a win over West Ham
The Manchester City began to suffer in the first five minutes with a couple of dangerous arrivals on the wings of the West Ham. As time went on, however, the visitors began to gain possession of the ball and attack through the Jack Grealish in order to find a precise center at the head of the Norwegian Erling Haland.
The formula was close to giving its results after 20 minutes, although on the opposite side, when Phil Foden He took the ball near the area and assisted the former Dortmund who reached the near post at speed but could not connect by centimeters.
The insistence paid off for the group of Pep Guardiola half an hour into the game. Unlike the previous advances, on that occasion City tried through the middle with a filtered pass that Haaland received, and that in his attempt to elude the goalkeeper, ended up transforming the clear chance into a penalty that he later turned into a goal with a strong shot to the left post.
With the Norwegian’s goal, which meant the first official in his new team, in the last stretch of the first half the spaces that until before seemed closed as a result of the strategy he had designed were opened David Moyeswhich was focused on closing back and playing the counterattack.
* Álvarez’s shot that hit Zouma’s face
Unlike the first 45 minutes, the local team came out to complement with the intention of taking center stage. Pressing later, West Ham forced some errors in defense that worried the goalkeeper after a long time citizen Ederson Moraes.
That pressure, however, created some gaps that were not seen in the first half and Pep Guardiola’s men did not hesitate to take advantage of them. It was through an excellent filtered pass from Kevin DeBruyne that the Norwegian Erling Haaland returned to be hand in hand against the goalkeeper. There, the 22-year-old he adjusted his body, spread his foot and put the ball next to the far post.
In the absence of 10 minutes to close the match in the london stadiumPep sent to the field to Julian Alvarez to add his first official sensations in the Premier League instead of the scorer of the match. Very active and launching several diagonals to generate spaces for his teammates, the Spider he looked for an opportunity to stamp his name on the scoreboard.
The one born in Calchín had his chance facing the goal defended by Alphonse Areola and his shot hit the face of Kurt Zuma, which was left on the ground by the power of the impact. City controlled the final actions by taking care of possession of the ball and started defending the crown in the Premier League on the right foot.
STADIUM: London Olympic
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