Manchester City began their new Premier League campaign with a dramatic 2-1 win over Bournemouth. Enzo Maresca's first match in charge of the Citizens made for a nail-biting encounter at the Etihad, as fans were left anxious until the final whistle.
From the outset, City dominated possession, holding the ball for as much as 68%. However, breaking down Bournemouth's well-organised defence, marshalled by goalkeeper Petrovich, proved a tough nut to crack. Under the stewardship of Marco Rose, the Cherries were resolute in defence and posed a genuine threat on the counter.
The first twist came in the 26th minute when Brazilian Ryan latched onto a long ball and set up Evanilson. The latter delivered a perfect cross into the box, allowing Marcus Tavernier to slot the ball home into the near post past Gianluigi Donnarumma—0-1.
City continued to press for an equaliser before the break. Erling Haaland, sporting a new short haircut, had a few half-chances, but Petrovich remained a wall in goal.
After the interval, the pressure from the home side intensified. Phil Foden, Rico Lewis, and Haaland kept testing Bournemouth's defence, attempting to find a way through. On the 63rd minute, Maresca made pivotal substitutions, bringing on Mateo Kovacic and Ryan Cherki, who would ultimately become the game-changer.
City finally broke through Bournemouth's resistance in the 84th minute. Cherki perfectly executed a corner kick, with defender Mark Guehi finding himself unmarked in the area, heading the ball powerfully into the net.
The climax arrived on the 90th minute! Once again, Ryan Cherki delivered an exquisite through-ball into the box for Josko Gvardiol. The Croatian displayed brilliant technique, tucking the ball into the far corner. Initially, referee Jared Gillett disallowed the goal for a suspected offside, but after a tense VAR check, it was confirmed that Bournemouth defender Hill had stepped out of line.
