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Friday, 14 December 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
(Reuters): Manchester City battled back to winning ways, coming from a goal down to overwhelm Hoffenheim 2-1 in the Champions League with a brilliant Leroy Sane double that ensured they progressed to the last-16 as winners of Group F on Wednesday.
The already-qualified English champions, who had suffered their first league defeat in 22 matches at Chelsea on Saturday, needed a point to guarantee top spot but were quickly shocked again when going behind to an Andrej Kramaric penalty.
Yet in a hugely entertaining and open encounter, German starlet Sane inspired the comeback against the Bundesliga side with a magnificent free kick moments before the break and another neatly-taken left foot finish just after the hour.
The win, which should have been far more decisive such was City’s dominance with 25 goal attempts, saw them top the table on 13 points, ahead of second-placed Olympique Lyonnais, who qualified on eight after they had drawn 1-1 at Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Ukrainian side earned the Europa League spot in third place on six with Hoffenheim last on three.
“We are in the best 16 and now we are going to see the draw, and arrive at the right moment,” City manager Pep Guardiola told BT Sport.
“We started flat because Hoffenheim were so demanding about how they attacked the space and, physically, they were stronger. Then we started to play. But the result is good – we are first.”
Guardiola had made it clear beforehand how important he felt topping the group would be in helping City avoid many of the best sides and must have been happy that they can now draw only Atletico Madrid, Schalke, Roma or Ajax Amsterdam in the last-16.
