The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
City in control after impressive display
Quarter-finals in sight as Pellegrini’s men see off Kiev with stylish first-half performance
Manchester City produced one of their best performances of the season to seize the advantage in their Champions League last-16 tie with a superb 3-1 win at Dynamo Kiev last night.
First-half goals from Sergio Aguero and David Silva put City in control at the Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex before Yaya Toure made sure after a Vitaliy Buyalskiy reply.
Buyalskiy’s effort just before the hour threatened to make life difficult for City as a side playing their first competitive match since December woke up.
But Tour em a de amends for missing an earlier chance with a fine curling finish in the last minute to put City in sight of the quarter-finals for the first time.
City’s whole-hearted performance, amid snow flurries on a cold night, made light of their recent poor form and the controversy over their team selection at Chelsea on Sunday.
City’s success also came in the face of a difficult atmosphere. The stadium was not full but the home fans were highly vocal and it was little wonder the club were so pleased Uefa lifted the order to have the game played behind closed doors.
City made their breakthrough after winning successive corners in the 15th minute, and Dynamo’s lack of action perhaps became evident as a deep Silva cross was allowed to drop to Toure.
The Ivorian laid off for Aguero and City’s top scorer strode through some poor challenges to rifle home a powerful shot.
Aguero twice went close to doubling his tally before Portugal international Miguel Veloso saw his header deflected wide in a rare chance for the hosts.
City grabbed their second after 40 minutes. Aguero showed great control on the edge of the area before feeding Raheem Sterling out wide and his low cross gave Silva a simple tap-in.
The first half was as good as City have played for some time but Dynamo responded after the break.
Yarmolenko had gone close with an effort across goal before Buyalskiy reduced the arrears with a powerful shot from distance that bounced past Hart after taking a deflection off Nicolas Otamendi.
The visitors – who had two penalty appeals turned down when Raheem Sterling and David Silva both felt they were bundled over in the box –began to look like a team hanging on and it required a brilliant save from Hart to deny Buyalskiy a second.
But after a long period on the back foot they began to look like they had weathered the storm, with Fernandinho and Aguero forcing Shovkovskiy into a double save. Toure missed a fine chance to make it 3-1 when he headed wide from Sterling’s clever cross but he made no mistake in the 90th minute.
City now turn their attentions to the Capital One Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid were frustrated as they were held to a goalless draw by 10-man PSV Eindhoven in Holland.
PSV had forward Gaston Pereiro sent off after 68 minutes for picking up two yellow cards.