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Hamburg came from behind to beat Manchester City 3-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Cup quarter-final at the Nordbank Arena.

Stephen Ireland gave the visitors a dream start after just 35 seconds, scoring with a precise finish after Robinho had cut inside from the left and laid the ball perfectly into the midfielder's path.

But eight minutes later and Hamburg were level; Joris Mathijsen evaded his marker to beat Given from close-range from a corner whipped in by David Jarolim.

Then in the 63rd minute, Micah Richards handled inside the area, with his arms above his head and conceded a penalty from Jarolim's speculative shot.

Trochowski dispatched the spot-kick with aplomb, striking firmly to Given's left, to leave City trailing their German opponents.

Hamburg then gave themselves a two-goal cushion in the 79th minute, after Trochowski outwitted Richards down the left before sliding an immaculate ball across the City six-yard box, from which substitute Paolo Guerrero tapped home.

It could have been more, with Shay Given making a string of inspired reflex saves to keep Martin Jol's side from extending their lead further, with City unable to sustain the tempo and urgency they managed in a bright first-half performance.

Mark Hughes set out an attacking starting line-up, with Daniel Sturridge joining Robinho and Craig Bellamy in attack, while Ireland was given a starting berth after passing a fitness test.

No sooner had the match got underway, but City were harrying their opponents with such intent that Hamburg were caught off guard.

The visitors pounced on the home side's early indecision, with Ireland latching on to Robinho's squared ball and passing it crisply past Frank Rost in the Hamburg goal.

Ivica Olic almost equalised for Hamburg just three minutes later, but his volley from close range was parried away superbly by Given, whose sharp stop warranted congratulatory hand shakes from his defenders.

In the eighth minute, Michael Gravgaard brought out a point-blank stop from the Irishman with a shot from inside the area after a free kick was drilled in by Jarolim.

But a minute later and the German side were level through Mathijsen: a corner was whipped in by Jarolim, and the Dutch defender stole beyond Onuoha to finish past Given.

In the 20th minute, Jonathon Pitroipa hit the bar for the hosts with a powerful header after Trochowski looped a deep cross to the back post; the winger rose above Bridge and lobbed Given, but was unlucky to see it rebound off the woodwork.

Two minutes later and Marcell Jansen cut inside from the left and volleyed straight at the City keeper, but perhaps if he had been more unselfish, he could have squared the ball back to Olic, who would have been afforded a tap-in.

At the other end a similar incident unfolded, as Wright-Phillips put Bellamy through on the left of the penalty area, but the Welshman shot straight at Rost, with Ireland screaming for the ball centrally in the 27th minute.

Hughes gave Daniel Sturridge a surprise start, but the 19-year-old hesitated at the vital moment as Bellamy found him with a precise cross from the left byline, which was missed by Gravgaard, but the striker, who was lurking behind him, reacting too late.

Over two thousand City fans created a raucous atmosphere in the corner of the Nordbank Arena, but it was the home side who ended the half on top.

Given made another fine save on the stroke of half-time as Richard Dunne was drawn out wide and committed himself, with Jarolim crossing for Trochowski, whose drive was parried away smartly by the keeper.

An audacious overhead kick from Ivica Olic went agonisingly onto the roof of his opponent's net, with the Croat showing real invention in attempting the shot from an innocuous cross by Aogo in the 46th minute.

Mark Hughes was forced into making a change at half-time, with Wayne Bridge failing to come through the match, and Javier Garrido replacing him at left-back, with Pitroipa causing havoc down that flank.

In the 61st minute, Trochowski whipped in another fine corner which City did not deal with, and Given was forced into a half-save, with Wright-Phillips eventually clearing off the line from Olic's shot to give the visitors another reprieve.

But as Hughes's side became increasingly weary, Richards conceded the penalty which was converted coolly by Trochowski three minutes later.

Then, with City hanging on for a one-goal deficit, Guerrero, who had only been on the field for eight minutes, capitalised on more uncertain defending to extend Hamburg's lead to 3-1.

Hughes's side now have it all to do in overturning a two-goal deficit in the return leg at the City of Manchester Stadium on April 16.

Dan Quarrell / Eurosport