Manchester City 1 - 1 AS Roma: City face crucial mission to Moscow
Posted Wednesday, October 01, 2014 by PA
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini promised his team would fight on after again stuttering on the Champions League stage.
City's unconvincing 1-1 draw with Roma at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday has left them with just one point from their opening two fixtures in Group E.
The Barclays Premier League champions are now already five points behind group leaders Bayern Munich and again face a familiar battle to qualify for the knock-out stages.
City's next two games against CSKA Moscow away and at home are likely to be critical to their hopes of making progress.
Asked in his post-match press conference how difficult it would now be to qualify, Pellegrini said: "We don't know. It depends on the way we play the next game.
"We have just one point from six but also we are just three points behind Roma, so there is a lot of things (to play for). We hope next game in Russia we can win and we will see what happens against Bayern Munich.
"We have 12 more points to fight (for) and we will fight to the end to try and qualify."
City took an early lead as Sergio Aguero struck from the penalty spot but Roma were superb in attack and pushed the hosts onto the back foot.
Their 23rd-minute equaliser, through 38-year-old Francesco Totti, who in the process became the Champions League's oldest goalscorer, was sublime and deserved.
Roma continued to press and although City finished the stronger, they were fortunate not to concede again.
Pellegrini, whose attacking philosophy is well known, played down suggestions he might have been taken aback by Roma's bold approach.
The Chilean said: "It was not a surprise for me. They are a team in form with great players. They made it difficult for us, it was a difficult game but I thought we could win it in the last 20 minutes.
"A point playing at home is never good but we played against a very strong team in a very good moment (of form).
"We didn't play well, especially in the first half. We improved in the second half but I think the draw was the real (right) thing for both teams.
"We must continue fighting for the next 12 points and we will see which teams qualify for the next round."
Pellegrini refused to single out any players for blame for the equaliser, which Totti finished with a superb flick over Joe Hart after being afforded plenty of space.
Pellegrini said: "I think that when the other team scores a goal it is not just a problem of one or two players. I think that he had too much space in that play.
"Maybe it was an easy goal for them but you must have the quality and the capacity to return to your normal performance. Today was not our day."
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