The start to the game had a typical flow of a City game, with quick ball movement and burst down the flank mostly featuring Raheem Sterling with some contribution from Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero.
The first real event of the game was a haphazard pass by Ralf Fahrmann that slipped past a Schalke centre-half straight to City skipper David Silva. He easily advanced into the penalty area and slid the ball to Aguero, who deposited it in the back of the net with no contention.
The initial reaction to an eighteenth-minute goal was to consider it over due to the disparity between opponents. However, a surge toward Ederson’s net, although resulting in nothing, reminded the audience of massive collapses such as in St. James Park in January.
In the thirty-eighth minute, a Schalke player unleashed a shot ricocheted off of the outstretched arm of Nico Otamendi, which allowed the referee to award a penalty. Nabil Bentaleb went out to take the penalty and easily beat Ederson to equalize the game at one.
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This surge from the German side did not subside there as they were awarded a free kick near the penalty area. The set piece began with Schalke lobbing an excellent ball into the box, resulting in nothing.
However, Fernandinho was spotted draping himself over Salif Sane and then pulling him down. This resulted in an immediate yellow card and a second penalty, which Bentaleb blasted past the outstretched Ederson. The forty-fifth-minute goal was crippling for City, as it provided for a huge swing in momentum towards the home team.