Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick – including two goals in the last five minutes – kept Manchester City’s Champions League hopes alive in a dramatic victory over Bayern Munich.
CSKA Moscow’s late equaliser against Roma in Russia earlier in the evening ensured even a defeat by Bayern at Etihad Stadium would not end City’s hopes of reaching the last 16.
But it looked like they would need to win convincingly in Rome in their final game as they trailed to Bayern in the closing moments.
City can now go through so long as they better CSKA’s result against Bayern – but if City lose their game against Roma, or it ends in a 0-0 draw, they would go out of the competition.
Bayern had to play with 10 men for 70 minutes after Mehdi Benatia was sent off for a foul on Aguero that saw the world-class striker put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot.
But the Germans turned the game on its head before half-time through Xabi Alonso’s free-kick and a Robert Lewandowski header.
And that was how it stood until a stirring finish that evoked memories of that famous day in May 2012 when Aguero snatched glorious triumph from despair and won the Premier League title in the dying seconds against QPR.
First the striker pounced on Alonso’s uncharacteristically wayward pass to run clear and beat Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer, then he took advantage of more sloppiness from Jerome Boateng for the last-minute winner.
It was a remarkable turn of events and another dramatic chapter in City’s history. It was their best night in the Champions League – arguably better and potentially more significant than their 3-2 win in Munich’s Allianz Arena last season.
Their first win in the group stage means they can now travel to Rome with genuine hope of moving into the knockout phase.
A tough task still awaits in Italy but now manager Manuel Pellegrini at least has hope and room for manoeuvre in a tournament that has rarely provided much joy for City.