SPL - Toure injured as City edge Celtic

Eurosport - Sat, 08 Aug 23:21:00 2009

Gareth Barry scored for Manchester City but Kolo Toure limped off injured as they beat Celtic 2-1 at Eastlands in a pre-season friendly, with Craig Bellamy also finding the net.

FOOTBALL Manchester City's Kolo Toure (L) challenges Celtic's Chris Killen during their friendly soccer match at the City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, northern England August 8, 2009. - 0

England international Barry put the hosts in front a quarter-of-an-hour in with a well-executed volley, but Chris Killen's superb finish levelled matters shortly after.

A moment of skill and control from Bellamy at the start of the second half then created a chance which he despatched to secure the win.

But City's pleasure in the warm-up victory was seriously hampered by an injury to new signing Toure (pictured, left), a player intended to be at the heart of Mark Hughes's new defence.

Both sides had early sniffs at goal but there were no solid chances as each team settled into what were unfamiliar line-ups. it did not take long for City to find a momentary rhythm, however, and they were good value for their lead with a fluid passage of play after 15 minutes.

A move instigated down the right flank by Toure saw the recent signing feed Pablo Zabaleta, and he whipped in a delightful cross. Barry left Paul Caddis standing as he got the march on the defender and timed a side-footed volley past the helpless Lukasz Zaluska.

The joy of the goal was immediately tempered by an injury Toure appeared to pick up in the lead-up. The Ivorian was replaced after just 18 minutes by Tal Ben Haim, leaving a concerned-looking Mark Hughes to ponder the possible ramifications of the damage to the centre-back.

Celtic responded straight away and Darren O'Dea looped a header toward goal which Shay Given tipped over the bar.

Moments later, in the 25th minute, Killen equalised for the visitors.

Former City striker Georgios Samaras picked a marvellous through ball on the swivel from inside the centre circle, freeing Killen. The striker latched on perfectly and timed his run to be able to stroke the ball masterfully past Given for the leveller.

Stephen Ireland showed glimpses with a couple of breaks that almost created an opening, and Bellamy - who'd started brightly but faded - almost linked with Robinho.

The Welsh forward pepped up for the second half however, with a frantic start to the second period seeing him regain the lead for City. Wayne Bridge's ball from deep was well controlled by the former Celtic man, who turned O'Dea inside out before firing low past Zaluska and into the bottom-left corner for 2-1.

Pat McCourt took it upon himself to try and get Celtic back into the game, and he almost managed it when beating three challenges with a mazy dribble. The winger's low ball across Given's goal was almost met by the sliding Killen, but contact was agonisingly just missed.

Shaun Wright-Phillips had a snap-shot saved by Zaluska, but the action started to mount at the other end as full time approached.

Ben Haim had to time a slide on Willo Flood to perfection inside City's penalty area, and youngster Daniel Fox almost troubled Given with a free-kick. Moments later Scott McDonald headed just over from a corner as Celtic's opportunities continued to flow.

O'Dea then went extremely close to an equaliser inside the final five minutes as he directed a header back across goal from Niall McGinn's delivery, but the ball sailed marginally wide of Given's left post and with it went any hopes Mowbray's men had of taking a draw.

Joe Caron Dawe / Eurosport

Comment 66 - 85 of 85

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  1. Come on lads this is a football page there is no reason­ for racism.

    From David, on Mon 10 Aug 10:13PM
  2. Miguel Veloso and Brede Hangeland and Igor Akinfeev­ will do for me come on wenger

    From bullycpt, on Mon 10 Aug 1:51AM
  3. allah is a b.i.t.c.h a big phoney fictional b.i.t.c.h.­ u religous nuts make me laugh unable to make your own­ life choices so u turn to these fairy storys u idiots.­ weak pathetic people base your whole lives on fictional­ tales

    From BallsDeep, on Sun 9 Aug 6:51PM
  4. i hate u sad jock t.w.a.t.s u are pathetic go back to­ your none entity league u are so proud of !! your­ league is like your people utter S.H.I.T.E

    From BallsDeep, on Sun 9 Aug 6:34PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    rangers beat the mancs, folow follow

    From bri.10000, on Sun 9 Aug 2:47PM
  6. 84 - would that be along the same lines as NORAID then,­ that collects funds from fellow Irish American ex-pats­ to help "feed and clothe the widows and orphans­ " of the "war" in Northern Ireland then?­ Let me tell you something about NORAID... the LAST­ THING he money done was feed and clothe anybody. Now,­ would those same funds you want to raise for the­ "downtrodden Palestinian refugees" perhaps be­ spent on buying WEAPONS, thus making the Israel /­ Palestine situation much worse than it already is?? Now­ take your muslim fundamentalist shyte, and ram it where­ the sun don't shine!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Sun 9 Aug 1:43PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    toure will now have to hobble around edwards bar where­ all the fat white dirty slappers go to pick up african­ men

    From killerdog63ggmu, on Sun 9 Aug 10:24AM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    infidel pigs is the type of fan city attracts its cos­ there owned by al-quaeda the blue scummy vermin and­ infidel pigs were not interested in your scum religion­ either nob

    From killerdog63ggmu, on Sun 9 Aug 10:22AM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    We should pray for our brothers and sisters who are­ suffering in Palestine. We should also help them by­ raising funds to provide relief for those who are­ wounded and for the families of those who are killed.­ We should write letters of support for the Palestinian­ cause to our local media, congressmen, the United­ Nations and various other national/international­ agencies. We should also support the Islamic­ organizations in the United States (and others all over­ the world) who are staging peaceful demonstrations or­ making petitions.”

    From infidel.pigs, on Sun 9 Aug 9:21AM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    allah is the greatest

    From infidel.pigs, on Sun 9 Aug 9:18AM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    praise be to allah , muhammed was his final teacher may­ all his blessing be upon him

    From infidel.pigs, on Sun 9 Aug 9:17AM
  12. comment 84, yes i notice lots of British names in your­ request...must be nice to have a list that your club­ can afford, even if they cant pronounce the names?!

    From gregor_scotsfiddler, on Sun 9 Aug 4:58AM
  13. #83 the whole of scottish football agrees with you

    From elizabethtaylor974, on Sun 9 Aug 1:54AM
  14. city also must have new coach not mark hughes because­ he can't send city to win premier league or to go­ to champions league or europe league.the new coach must­ be:bernd schuster,roberto mancini,marco van basten

    From besa, on Sun 9 Aug 1:53AM
  15. manchester city must buy this­ players:ochoa,taiwo,veloso,vander­ vaart,quaresma,sneijder

    From besa, on Sun 9 Aug 1:51AM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    There is nothing better than watching Celtic and­­ Ranger's fans having a carve­­ up...
    harder..meaner...bloodier..keep it up chaps,keep­­ it up.

    From we shall fight on the F1 beaches, on Sun 9 Aug 12:00AM
  17. Celtic v's Ranger's = Bloodbath, ...Yep,­ that'l do for me. keep it up chap's ,keep it­ up.

    From we shall fight on the F1 beaches, on Sat 8 Aug 11:59PM
  18. BELLAMY FOR CELTIC.MAN CITY DONT DESERVE HIM TAL

    From martincoyle67, on Sat 8 Aug 11:51PM
  19. I guess the injury comes at the right time to show City­ fans and owners how weak the team is when injuries hit.­ A strong replacement are important to compete for EPL.­ Ask Liverpool

    From Half A Brain, on Sat 8 Aug 11:19PM
  20. MAN CITY BIG GUNS 2 CELTIC RESERVES 1

    From martincoyle67, on Sat 8 Aug 11:12PM
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