Manchester City left it late to beat RB Leipzig 3-2 on Wednesday, but the win came with a slice of luck — a first-half own goal that kept the Blues level.
Enzo Maresca's first real challenge as City manager was always going to be a test of nerve, and this Champions League tie proved exactly that. Leipzig, feisty and unbeaten at home all season, pushed City all the way.
The own goal in the first half was the difference between the sides at the break, and City needed a third goal to seal the win. That they got it says much about the character Maresca is building.
City are still without Semenyo, whose ability to disrupt on the wing is sorely missed. He is out for quite a while longer, and his absence was felt again here.
The victory was Leipzig's first home loss in any competition this season — a notable scalp for Maresca's side.
Now City turn their focus to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, before a gruelling run: after returning on November 21 against Fulham, the Blues will play nine matches in 28 days.
Maresca will need every bit of his squad depth for that stretch. For now, though, he can enjoy a hard-fought win in Germany.