Birthday boy Sterling celebrates with a vital double

RAHEEM Sterling celebrated his 21st birthday with a quickfire double to send Manchester City through to the Champions League last 16 as group winners.

The England international struck twice in the space of two minutes as City came from behind to beat Borussia Monchengladbach 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

City had trailed after the Germans replied to David Silva’s early strike through Julian Korb and Raffael but Sterling turned the game around late in the second half and Wilfried Bony added the final gloss.

With Juventus losing at Sevilla, the result was enough for City to leapfrog the Italians to the top of Group D while Monchengladbach slipped to the bottom and missed out on a Europa League spot.

The attacking verve with which City finished the game – Sterling’s equaliser only came in the 79th minute – was reward for a determined second-half display.

City started without an out-andout centre forward having left Bony on the bench and with Sergio Aguero still injured, but it initially looked like it would not matter.

The arrangement paid off in the 16th minute as Sterling played Silva in on goal with a nifty backheel and the Spaniard took full advantage.

Monchengladbach claimed an immediate equaliser through Korb before leading with Raffael’s strike.

But City upped the tempo after the break and the constant pressure finally paid off 11 minutes from time as Sterling turned in from close range.

A quick counter-attack a minute later led to another as Sterling brilliantly swept home a pass from substitute Bony, who rounded off things with a fine fourth.

MAN CITY..........................4 B M’GLADBACH ...............2