Enzo Maresca’s first competitive game in charge of Man City needed a rescue act, and he got one, deep into stoppage time.
City came from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Etihad on the opening weekend of the season, overturning a deficit that was entirely deserved for long spells of the afternoon.
But two goals in the final ten minutes turned a flat, uncomfortable watch into a winning start for Maresca — but it was Bournemouth, playing under their own new manager in Marco Rose, who made most of the early running.
City toil, Bournemouth punish the openings
The hosts started brightly enough. Erling Haaland failed to convert from six yards after O’Reilly’s run down the left picked him out in the 14th minute, a chance that could potentially have settled the game before it hardly began.
It didn’t, and City’s control gradually drained away from there.
Bournemouth’s goal, when it arrived in the 26th minute, was simple:
Evanilson found space on the right, squared for Marcus Tavernier at the back post, and the midfielder finished cleanly.
City’s back line barely reacted. Rose’s side kept the pressure on right up to the break — Tavernier rattled the outside of the post with a long-range effort, and Justin Kluivert forced a smart save out of Gianluigi Donnarumma — and went in at half-time deservedly ahead.
It capped a difficult few days for Maresca, whose side had lost 3-0 to Arsenal in the Community Shield last weekend.
Speaking before kick-off, he’d called it “a very nice feeling” to take charge of his first home game, hopeful of sending the Etihad home happy. For an hour, that looked an optimistic take.
Two goals, ten minutes, one wild finish
City’s best chance to level came in the second half through Marc Guehi, one of the summer’s defensive signings, who somehow headed wide from six yards after an Elliot Anderson corner just after the hour.
It briefly looked like it was going to be one of those afternoons. Antoine Semenyo — starting against his old club for the second time since his January move from Bournemouth — also went close, mistiming a volley after a Matheus Nunes knockdown.
Guehi made amends when it mattered most.
In the 84th minute, he rose to head home a corner and drag City level, and substitute Rayan Cherki, on for Anderson midway through the half, turned provider again seven minutes later.
His pass sent Josko Gvardiol clean through, and the defender slotted home in the first minute of stoppage time to complete the turnaround.
The goal wasn’t given straight away — Gvardiol was initially flagged offside, before replays showed Bournemouth’s James Hill had played him on with a trailing leg — but once it stood, the Etihad erupted.
A result Maresca needed more than he deserved
There’s little in the performance itself that Maresca will want to dwell on. City were second best for long periods against a Bournemouth side missing several players, and it took two moments of individual quality from a makeshift defence and a sub to save the afternoon.
For Rose, there will be plenty to like in how his new-look side matched City for large chunks of the game, even in defeat.
But three points are three points on the opening weekend, and after the manner of last week’s Community Shield defeat, Maresca will take a winning start.
