Barcelona was determined not to let this match drag into extra time. They could have played defensively to maintain the scoreline, waiting for the final whistle, but that was not their style. The Catalan team played to finish the game with one more goal—the best way, in their eyes, to secure victory.
Moments after kick-off, Neymar started an attack through the center. Calmly, he carried the ball and noticed Messi already surrounded by City players, yet still demanding the ball. Neymar sent a short pass, and as soon as the ball reached Messi's feet, he turned swiftly, moved the ball to the center, and played a clever through ball to Suarez.
Suarez ran forward, but Kompany was tightly marking him, forcing Suarez to shoot with his weaker left foot. Unfortunately, his shot missed the goal by a narrow margin.
Joe Hart quickly took the goal kick, passing to Kolarov. The City left-back advanced a few steps, but Barcelona's rapid players quickly closed down his space. Kolarov hastily passed to Yaya Toure, who was met with aggressive pressing from Rakitic, trying to dispossess him.
Unfazed, Yaya used his heel to send a back-pass to Fernandinho. With a light touch, Fernandinho sent a low pass to David Silva, who in an instant redirected it to Kenneth. The 16-year-old thought quickly, returning the ball to Silva, who had already made a run past Mascherano. Despite being pressed from the side, Silva maintained his balance, continued forward, and delivered a through ball to Kolarov.
From the left flank, Kolarov sent a knee-height cross into the penalty area, where Aguero and Pique battled for position. The ball ricocheted from their duel and landed at Mathieu's feet, who immediately cleared it far upfield.
At City's end, Suarez escaped Kompany's marking, controlling the ball with his chest and directing it rightward to Messi. With agility, Messi advanced quickly, glancing left and spotting Neymar sneaking into open space. With perfect timing, Messi sent a through ball that dismantled City's defense.
Neymar surged forward, leaving City defenders behind and prepared to shoot. His powerful shot was aimed at goal, but Joe Hart once again displayed brilliance by parrying the ball.
Kompany reacted quickly, meeting the rebound and passing shortly to Fernandinho. However, City's counterattack was interrupted when Iniesta smartly fouled Fernandinho, cutting off the play and forcing a brief stoppage.
Time ticked on, and the tension mounted. Both teams sought an additional goal, but for City, scoring was imperative. Failure to score meant certain defeat.
In the 85th minute, Barcelona regained possession and deliberately slowed the tempo. Iniesta and Rakitic calmly exchanged passes, involving their defenders to run down the clock. City attempted to regain possession with high pressing, but their defensive structure began to falter.
Kompany advanced late, leaving Messi onside when he should have been offside. Spotting the opportunity, Rakitic chipped the ball over Demichelis toward Messi. If Messi could control the ball, only Joe Hart stood between him and the goal. But Hart, showing immense bravery, slid in and snatched the ball just before Messi could take his shot.
In the 87th minute, Manuel Pellegrini decided to bring on Frank Lampard, replacing the tireless James Milner on the wing. It was perhaps the final touch of experience, a boost of energy and creativity, hoped to create one last chance.
Entering the 90th minute, time was nearly up. City held possession, while Barcelona dropped into a tight defensive line, determined to preserve their lead. The officials added just two minutes of stoppage time, deemed sufficient due to the lack of injuries or time-wasting incidents during the match.
In the 91st minute, the crucial moment arrived. Kenneth received the ball from the right wing and began moving slowly toward the center. All eyes turned to the 16-year-old boy. Standing firm in front of him was Javier Mascherano, ever the solid defender, ready to block any shot or pass.
Suddenly, Kenneth shifted the ball to his right and raised his right foot as if to shoot. Mascherano moved to block, but it was a feint! Kenneth swiftly pulled the ball back to his left, deceiving the veteran defender and creating space for a shot.
Gary Neville held his breath, "Kenneth Lee ... Could this be it?"
Kenneth took advantage of the opening, swung his left foot, and delivered a finesse shot toward the top-left corner. The ball curled perfectly, bypassing all defenders and soaring toward the goal.
Martin Tyler exclaimed, "Oh my word! Kenneth Lee, at sixteen years of age, has just stunned the Camp Nou!"
The ball found the back of the net. Barcelona's players were frozen, seemingly unable to believe what had just happened. The entire Camp Nou fell silent; tens of thousands of Barcelona fans were left speechless. Amid the eerie silence, Kenneth ran toward the City supporters' section. Though only a few thousand in number, their cheers echoed through the vast stadium.
On the sidelines, Pellegrini and Ruben Cousilas celebrated wildly, overjoyed by Kenneth's goal.
Kenneth stood tall before the City fans, arms wide open as if inviting all their cheers and love. "Look at him!" Gary Neville said, his voice trembling with excitement. "That's confidence, that's courage, that's what it takes to play on this stage!"
Martin Tyler added with admiration, "A teenager silencing the mighty Camp Nou… This is why we love football! This is history in the making!"
The cheers from the few thousand City fans pierced the silence of the Camp Nou, packed with tens of thousands of Barcelona supporters. Kenneth had achieved something extraordinary.
Standing there with his arms still outstretched, Kenneth savored the moment, one that would undoubtedly remain etched in his memory. But he didn't stand alone for long; one by one, his Manchester City teammates ran toward him. Aguero was the first, embracing him enthusiastically.
"Brilliant, Lee! That was incredible!" Aguero said, his eyes gleaming with joy.
"You saved us. That was an extraordinary goal, Lee," said David Silva, his eyes filled with gratitude.
Yaya Toure said little, simply ruffling Kenneth's hair in appreciation.
Other players hugged Kenneth too. At the City goal, Joe Hart roared with passion. All his hard work had paid off. At least Manchester City had managed to take the match to extra time.
After the extended celebration, the game resumed, but Barcelona's kick-off was immediately followed by the referee's final whistle.
"They've done it! Manchester City takes the match into extra time. City, with incredible spirit, keeps fighting against all odds," Martin Tyler declared.
Even Gary Neville, a former Manchester United player, couldn't hold back his praise. "Whatever the result of this match, Manchester City's fight deserves recognition. Barcelona had plenty of chances to score, but Hart's performance truly kept Manchester City in the game."