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Manchester City 2-0 Bayern Munich: Mancini's men fail to progress to knockout stage despite impressive win
Despite a brave showing by Roberto Mancini's side, victory was not enough with a Napoli win sending the Eastland's outfit crashing out and into the Europa League
Dec 7, 2011 4:40:00 PM
By Omar Shahid
Getty Images
Manchester City crashed out of the Champions League despite beating Bayern Munich 2-0 at Eastlands on Wednesday night.
The game was never really in City’s hands as Napoli only needed a point against Villareal to send Mancini’s side out of the competition.
City impressed throughout the game, controlling possession and creating chances in both halves. David Silva put his team in the lead with a terrific strike following a smart touch from Edin Dzeko. And Yaya Toure doubled City’s lead in the second half.
Although City put pressure on the German giants from the start, the game started fairly quietly. City’s only chance early on came via a Samir Nasri cross which Sergio Aguero couldn’t keep down as it soared over the bar.
The game got of to a slow start with both teams only creating half-chances within the early stages. The first came to City, a lively Samir Nasri crossed a ball to Aguero, whose header soared over the bar.
Then, on the other end of the pitch, Ivica Olic found himself free momentarily outside the box, but his low, driven shot was pummeled away by Joe Hart for a corner.
City, quite unluckily, had a goal disallowed on the 15th minute minute. Following a foul on Savic by Olic on the right flank, a David Silva free kick saw Lescott and Butt both rise for the ball at the back post – however, the goal was ruled out for a rather innocuous foul on the keeper.
Mancini’s men began to dictate the tempo; dominating possession as Bayern struggled to get into the game.
City then took the lead via a stunning goal by Silva. The Spaniard was lurking at the edge of the area as Dzeko touched on Gareth Barry’s pass from the right wing. The ball sat up perfectly for Silva, who lashed the ball home into the bottom corner.
Aguero almost doubled his team’s lead moments later. Toure charged forward and found Aguero who beat two defenders and despite evading the keeper too, had his shot cleared off the line by Jerome Boateng.
The effervescent talents of Aguero and Silva piled continuous pressure on Bayern. The Spanish maestro went close to scoring his second as City had clearly benefited from its opening goal. Silva wriggled between defenders inside the box and, after unleashing a shot which was parried away by Butt, the follow up was poked over the bar by Barry.
Both teams looked intent on scoring following the second-half kickoff. It was City, however, that proved the more efficient side as it cushioned it lead via a Toure goal.
An exquisite passing move by Mancini’s charges which saw Toure a play a one-two with Silva and then with Dzeko, resulted in the Ivorian finding himself free in the area to tuck the ball under Butt.
Attempting to get back into the game, Bayern created a half-chance. A Kompany header inside City’s area found Alaba, whose left-footed shot from outside the area was awkwardly parried away by Hart.
On the 65th minute the stadium quieted down as news of a Napoli goal in Spain sent negative vibes to Eastlands. The news that City may be exiting the competition beckoned and was exacerbated as Bayern fans chanted ‘Napoli’.
The game lost its urgency as the news that Napoli had doubled its lead found its way to Manchester. However, the home side pushed on for a third goal.
Aguero continued to use his pace in the final 20 minutes in an effort to score his first of the night, alas, to no success. Mancini made three changes in the final 15 minutes: Dzeko, Toure and Silva were replaced by Nigel De Jong, Mario Balotelli and Adam Johnson.
Johnson had a chance to finish the game off as Balotelli pushed forward into the box and, upon being dispossessed, the England international shot wide despite finding himself in space.
The game was never really in City’s hands as Napoli only needed a point against Villareal to send Mancini’s side out of the competition.
City impressed throughout the game, controlling possession and creating chances in both halves. David Silva put his team in the lead with a terrific strike following a smart touch from Edin Dzeko. And Yaya Toure doubled City’s lead in the second half.
Although City put pressure on the German giants from the start, the game started fairly quietly. City’s only chance early on came via a Samir Nasri cross which Sergio Aguero couldn’t keep down as it soared over the bar.
The game got of to a slow start with both teams only creating half-chances within the early stages. The first came to City, a lively Samir Nasri crossed a ball to Aguero, whose header soared over the bar.
Then, on the other end of the pitch, Ivica Olic found himself free momentarily outside the box, but his low, driven shot was pummeled away by Joe Hart for a corner.
City, quite unluckily, had a goal disallowed on the 15th minute minute. Following a foul on Savic by Olic on the right flank, a David Silva free kick saw Lescott and Butt both rise for the ball at the back post – however, the goal was ruled out for a rather innocuous foul on the keeper.
Mancini’s men began to dictate the tempo; dominating possession as Bayern struggled to get into the game.
City then took the lead via a stunning goal by Silva. The Spaniard was lurking at the edge of the area as Dzeko touched on Gareth Barry’s pass from the right wing. The ball sat up perfectly for Silva, who lashed the ball home into the bottom corner.
Aguero almost doubled his team’s lead moments later. Toure charged forward and found Aguero who beat two defenders and despite evading the keeper too, had his shot cleared off the line by Jerome Boateng.
The effervescent talents of Aguero and Silva piled continuous pressure on Bayern. The Spanish maestro went close to scoring his second as City had clearly benefited from its opening goal. Silva wriggled between defenders inside the box and, after unleashing a shot which was parried away by Butt, the follow up was poked over the bar by Barry.
Both teams looked intent on scoring following the second-half kickoff. It was City, however, that proved the more efficient side as it cushioned it lead via a Toure goal.
An exquisite passing move by Mancini’s charges which saw Toure a play a one-two with Silva and then with Dzeko, resulted in the Ivorian finding himself free in the area to tuck the ball under Butt.
Attempting to get back into the game, Bayern created a half-chance. A Kompany header inside City’s area found Alaba, whose left-footed shot from outside the area was awkwardly parried away by Hart.
On the 65th minute the stadium quieted down as news of a Napoli goal in Spain sent negative vibes to Eastlands. The news that City may be exiting the competition beckoned and was exacerbated as Bayern fans chanted ‘Napoli’.
The game lost its urgency as the news that Napoli had doubled its lead found its way to Manchester. However, the home side pushed on for a third goal.
Aguero continued to use his pace in the final 20 minutes in an effort to score his first of the night, alas, to no success. Mancini made three changes in the final 15 minutes: Dzeko, Toure and Silva were replaced by Nigel De Jong, Mario Balotelli and Adam Johnson.
Johnson had a chance to finish the game off as Balotelli pushed forward into the box and, upon being dispossessed, the England international shot wide despite finding himself in space.
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