Fine City form too good for Shakhtar
KHARKIV, Ukraine: Manchester City began to show its credentials like a proper Champions League heavyweight when it became the first English team to win at Shakhtar Donetsk in European competition with a handsome 30 success in its group F match yesterday.
In stark contrast, archrival Manchester United was outclassed 10 at home by Serie A giant Juventus.
City, which falsestarted in the campaign with its only loss of the season at home, to Olympique Lyonnais, was a wholly different proposition, waltzing to victory with goals from David Silva, Aymeric Laporte and substitute Bernardo Silva.
What looked a potentially difficult visit to the Ukrainian champion, which had beaten Pep Guardiola’s men in the group stages last year, was made to look effortlessly routine as the dazzling David Silva orchestrated City’s dominance.
City could easily have scored more goals, but the win still put the English champion top of the group on six points, a point clear of Lyon, which drew 33 with a Hoffenheim team who have two points, along with bottomplaced Shakhtar.
City manager Pep Guardiola suggested on the eve of the match that the club may still lack the special passion for the competition that could drive it to European glory, but his team of all talents demonstrated it certainly has the quality.
Shakhtar had never been beaten by English visitors in seven home matches. ‘‘Zerothree here. It’s an amazing result,’’ Guardiola said.
Man City, with Kevin De Bruyne back for his first full start of the season after an injury layoff, continued its recent dazzling form by taking control from the opening whistle.
In the first half hour, Riyad Mahrez could and maybe should have scored twice, once after City had broken with breathtaking pace from their own half before he then also set up David Silva to flick the ball impudently against Shakhtar’s post.
But the Spanish maestro made no mistake with a left foot volley just after the halfhour to reward City’s mastery.
Five minutes later, De Bruyne’s corner fell to Laporte, who found himself unmarked as he stooped to head home.
Though the home side attacked intermittently, City could have scored three more goals in the first 12 minutes of the second half as it continued to pour forward.
Bernardo Silva had been on the pitch for 90 seconds after the excellent De Bruyne’s withdrawal when another devastating City counter saw the Portuguese midfielder race through and slot his 71st minute leftfoot shot in off the far post.
It sealed Shakhtar’s first defeat in 12 matches in all competitions, leaving its chances of qualifying for the knockout stages looking bleak.
‘‘We have to admit that City were better tonight, much better,’’ Shakhtar manager Paulo Fonseca conceded.