Thursday March 15, 2012 Last 16 Finished Etihad Stadium

Manchester City 3 - 2 Sporting Lisbon

  • Agüero 60’, 83’
  • Balotelli 75’ (pen.)
  • Fernández 34’
  • van Wolfswinkel 41’

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  1. City out on away goals after classic

    City out on away goals after classic

    Manchester City came close to an historic comeback but crashed out of the Europa League on away goals after a 3-2 win over Sporting Lisbon. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Manchester City
    • Sporting Lisbon
    • - Phew. City almost made history with that comeback but they fell just short. They will certainly feel better about themselves than United, who were outplayed again by Athletic. Do you think this will have an impact on the domestic title race? Sorry Sporting fans, it's an English website so we're focusing on their teams. Let me know what you think @Reda_Eurosport. FOLLOW ON TWITTER!
    • 90+6 And that's the whistle! It was a great save by Patricio from Joe Hart, whose shirt had been pulled! The whistle goes and City are out!
    • 90+5 Kolarov on it, launched in, Yaya on the ball, it almost falls to Nasri, he can't shoot but Kolarov does - deflected and a corner! Hart comes up! Cleared but it falls to a City player - Kolarov with the cross AND HART FLIES IN WITH A HEADER BUT INCHES WIDE!!!
    • 90+4 Aguero is named man of the match by the City spokesman but Sporting have a free-kick by the corner flag.
    • 90+3 Polga now booked for time-wasting I assume.
    • 90+2 Aguero on the run, he takes on Inusa but the left-back gets back to put him off, the ball run out for a goak-kick.
    • 90+1 Balotelli is booked for his reaction to the free-kick. He misses their next European game.
    • 90+1 The corner causes problems but Sporting clear in the end. This is incessant from City. Now Richards tries a bicycle kick, a Sporting player - Xandao - again feigns injury, but it was a high boot.
    • 90' Kolarov again with a nice run into space but his cross is batted behind by Pereirinha. Corner! Ah the Sporting man has gone down feigning injury again - the ref tells him to get off his hind.
    • 89' Poor corner from City but they get the ball back and come again... Five minutes added time to follow we hear. Yikes!
    • 88' Kolarov in space on the left, a super cross AND BALOTELLI FLIES IN but his header is deflected behind for a corner! Polga with the touch!
    • 87' City piling it on as a Toure cross is headed clear. Now a throw on the left wing...
    • 86' Polga hoofs clear as City ball rains down on the Sporting box!
    • 85' Magic spray again, meanining nothing is wrong at all. Balotelli is not amused.
    • 85' Sporting's keeper Patricio pretends to be injured, the medics strolling on as City get heated.
    • 84' Dzeko heads high and wide after a lovely early cross from Kolarov! Should have done better.
    • 84' City need one more as Sporting are going through on away goals - this is some fightback mind.
    • 83' GOAL CITY! Kolarov's ball into the box is flicked on by Dzeko and Aguero at the far post smashed in the volleyed finish! 3-2 on the night, level on aggregate.
    • 82' Aguero gets away from Izmailov but not Carrico, who hacks it out for a corner.
    • 81' Sporting have a corner on the right which they will take their time over.
    • 80' City need two more in 10 minutes. And why not? With a gazillion euros of firepower, they should at least believe they can do it.
    • 79' Pereirinha is, obviously, fine. Boo! Hiss!
    • 78' Looking at the replay I would side with the Sporting player - he could have popped his shoulder out there. However, the use of the magic spray suggests it's much ado about nothing.
    • 77' Everyone is having their say now, with Sa Pinto on the pitch to protect his player, who is Pereirinha. He fell unchallenged and appears to have landed awkwardly on his shoulder.
    • 76' A Sporting player is down on the turf holding his arm... City surround him and are trying to get him off the pitch as they feel he is time wasting. This could get ugly...
    • 75' Cheeky devil! Balotelli rolls the penalty casually past a static Patricio while giving him the psycho eyes. 2-2!
    • 74' PENALTY CITY! Aguero is taken down just inside the box, Renato Neto sliding in late just on the line!
    • 73' With no Fernandez, Schaars is over it - no, Insua will take but he blasts it high and wide.
    • 72' Sporting on the City right, keeping it well as Jeffren gets some touches. Now Savic trips the Spaniard.
    • 71' Nice ball in from Toure that Patricio fumbles but the flag is being waved, I think for a push.
    • 70' Savic with a header clear as Izmailov crosses in.
    • 69' City have a corner now that Kolarov takes quickly - landing beyond the City arrivals though.
    • 68' A succession of throws for Kolarov but Sporting make a sub first - Van Wolfswinkel off for Carrillo.
    • 67' Aguero on the move, wide to Richards but he runs into Insua, who hoofs long. Hart has it now.
    • 66' CITY SUB: Silva comes off - not his best match in a City shirt - and Nasri comes on.
    • 66' Balotelli and Dzeko almost bundle their way through but scrambled away by Renato! City piling it on.
    • 65' Dzeko almost wriggles clear after a mazy run following Silva's pass, a heavy touch takes it away from him but almost sends Balotelli in - Patricio gets there first, and the flag is up anyway.
    • 64' SPORTING DOUBLE SUB: Ex-Barca trainee Jeffren on for Capel; Renato on for Fernandez.
    • 63' Kolarov is the free-kick specialist but he is a lefty; a touch to the left, this suits a righty. Similar to where Fernandez scored from... Kolarov takes it, well wide. Should not have been him.
    • 62' City are up for this now as Carrico chops down Balotelli on the edge of the Sporting box. Booking.
    • 60' ... GOAL CITY! They'd been pressing this half and Aguero pulls one back with a superb finish after Yaya Toure's fine low pass sent him into the space between the two defenders. Faint hope.
    • 59' Sporting try to play keep-ball from the free-kick but give it away. Insua gets it back but he gives it away. City come forward in numbers...
    • 58' Balotelli with a handball on the Sporting right. Not having his best game.
    • 57' All a bit muted now, although City have had a lot more of the ball this half.
    • 56' Good defending by Savic as Capel almost got in behind the back four.
    • 55' Pizarro slips it wide to Kolarov but the Serb is offside. CITY SUB: Dzeko on for Pizarro.
    • 54' Great ball in from Kolarov and Richards meets it with a header but Xandao gets a touch, sending the ball over. Corner.
    • 53' Aguero wins a free-kick around 30 yards out, to the left a touch. Kolarov wants this...
    • 52' Rather aimless long ball from City, De Jong I think but it was so long I didn't see the perpetrator.
    • 51' Dzeko was warming up but has been called back. I wonder if there'll be a 'misunderstanding' tonight?
    • 50' City survive that corner and look long upfield.
    • 49' Capel robs Richards and races away but De Jong challenges. Corner Sporting.
    • 48' Richards is playing almost as a winger now and he finds plenty of space on the right - but not the final ball, straight to Patricio.
    • 47' City's first attack sees a high ball sail behind for a goal kick. A miracle is needed now, not sure they're bovvered.
    • 46' The second half is underway.
    • - CITY SUB: De Jong on for Johnson at half-time.
    • - Premier League now rubbish or just a blip? Remember - Serie A and La Liga had their troubles with Europe in recent seasons, with the reactionaries claiming Italian football was finished a few years ago and that England was dominant when United and Chelsea contested the Champions League final. Temporary or permanent decline? What do you think? HAVE YOUR SAY ON TWITTER!
    • - Dark day for Manchester, although City's self-destruction tonight could well help them in the race for the Premier League: both sides won't have to play on Thursday nights now, so at least they're even!
    • 45+1 Half-time, Sporting lead 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate as the boos ring out.
    • 45' Fernandez tries to find Van Wolfswinkel but Pizarro intercepts. One minute added time.
    • 44' Johnson curls it in but Patricio punches clear. City come again as Johnson swings it in but Savic bundles into the keeper and it's a foul.
    • 43' Johnson finds Balotelli on the right, who is fouled by Insua. Johnson to take this...
    • 42' Van Wolfswinkel now has 16 goals this season for Sporting, half of which have come in 12 Euro games.
    • 41' Blimey. City need four goals now. What on earth are they doing? Trying to get Mancini fired?
    • 40' 2-0 SPORTING! City in a royal pickle after Silva fails to track back after a stray header from Kolarov, Izmailov is in and a low ball that Van Wolfswinkel taps in from close range!
    • 39' Fernandez goes down again in the middle and Sporting have a free-kick.
    • 38' Poor touch by Johnson now. This match is slipping away from City.
    • 36' Kolarov pounds one in from range but deflected well wide for another corner.
    • 35' Silva with a wicked cross from the right that is nicked away from the unmarked Aguero for a corner! City have to score three.
    • 34' That was some free-kick from the little Chilean. Clap clap. Balotelli gave away a silly free-kick though, and he has a massive row with Mancini.
    • 33' Fernandez will take this... WHAT A GOAL FOR SPORTING! AN OUTRAGEOUS CURLER AROUND THE WALL AND BEYOND HART! Inside the far post! 1-0 on the night, 2-0 on aggregate.
    • 32' Balotelli back defending does more harm than good as he shoves Insua to the deck just outside the box.
    • 31' Aguero with a nice turn but he then fouls his marker. Free-kick on halfway, taken short.
    • 30' A lull in the match, City seem happy to forage patiently.
    • 29' Capel with another cross from the left but this one is straight to Savic, who hooks clear.
    • 28' Capel runs in down the left, a drilled low ball that Fernandez pcks up, surely he can find a shot here but he delays with a touch and Savic is able to block it!
    • 27' Johnson with a smart turn inside but his shot is low and weak and blocked.
    • 26' Izmailov gets in down the right - he feeds Fernandez, super turn and he goes down and the ref blows! For a dive! He dived as his Chile pal Pizarro stood ahead of him. Initially there may have been contact but Fernandez delayed and did a dying swan, so booked he is.
    • 25' Fernandez swings the free-kick in but easy for Hart who pulls it to his chest.
    • 24' Richards goes into the back of Capel, who overreacts but the ref calmly awards a free-kick, now card. A shove, not a kick, not worthy of anything.
    • 23' Kolarov pulls out of a challenge, realising he has just been booked. Throw Sporting wide right.
    • 22' Decent spell of possession for Sporting now.
    • 21' A succession of City corners now but the second is a horror, short but straight to the first man. And then a foul by Kolarov on Carrico, booked.
    • 20' Balotelli is found in miles of space by a super Aguero ball, he takes it on the chest but delays with a second touch and Polga blocks his finish. An angry Balotelli kicks the ball further into touch in frustration. Corner.
    • 19' Replays show Savic got the ball, the Chilean playmaker for Sporting making a meal of it.
    • 18' Fernandez goes down very easily on the edge of the box as Savic tackles and the Norwegian ref does not buy it.
    • 17' City are taking this game by the scruff of the neck now as Johnson and co. run rings around the Sporting defence, who look gettable for sure.
    • 16' Aguero feeds Johnson, who plays a cut-bacl that is deflected wide... But the ref signals a goal kick, saying it went out of play first. Nice flick-on by Balotelli to start that move.
    • 15' Pizzaro sends Aguero in down the left but Carrico slides in and the last touch was off the City forward.
    • 14' Yaya Toure is booked for backchat.
    • 13' That was terrible line-holding from Xandao and Anderson Polga to let Balotelli in. Shame for him that he slipped.
    • 12' Groans from the home fans as Aguero strangely looks backwards to Toure when the forward pass was on - but the move almost sends Balotelli clean through, the Italian somehow onside but slipping at the key moment.
    • 11' Pizarro plays it forward, Silva is free on the left, he swings over a high cross that Johnson volleys but wide! He tried to guide it into the far corner but couldn't get the angle right.
    • 10' Schaars buys a free-kick after sticking a leg out. Cheeky.
    • 9' Fernandez puts the corner in and Xandao rises but heads wide! Sa Pinto holds his head, he knew that was a chance!
    • 8' Good intervention from Savic after Mati Fernandez played it in - Izmailov is annoyed as he feels Fernandez should have found him. Corner.
    • 7' Meanwhile, Silva has a crack from range but off target.
    • 6' The police have joined stewards to sort out whatever is going on with the away fans.
    • 5' The Sporting fans are getting a bit naughty in their area. Not sure what that's about.
    • 4' Aguero tries to turn into space on the left but is tackled. Throw City.
    • 3' Carrico almost combines with Izmailov but City clear.
    • 2' After that keen start from Sporting, City are holding the ball quite well now.
    • 1' Schaars has a dig from a long way out but well off target.
    • 1' The first half is underway!
    • 20:00 Hello, I be your match commentator for tonight, having just completed Athletic Bilbao's win over City's sworn rivals United. Tap me on Twitter if you will, @Reda_Eurosport FOLLOW ON TWITTER!
    • 19:55 Elsewhere, Hannover, Valencia, Athletic Bilbao and AZ Alkmaar are set to go through to the last eight with a few minutes left in the early matches. Europa League scores
    • 19:50 City have only a one goal deficit to overturn, and they will take to the pitch happy in the knowledge that their arch-rivals across Manchester are no longer in the tournament have once again been torn to shreds by Athletic Bilbao. United fans look away now...
    • 19:45 Tonight's ref is Norway's Tom Harald Hagen.
    • 19:40 TEAMS: Man City - Man City: Hart, Richards, Toure, Savic, Kolarov, Pizarro, Toure Yaya, Johnson, Silva, Balotelli, Aguero. //// Sporting: Rui Patricio, Daniel Carrico, Xandao, Anderson Polga, Insua, Bruno Pereirinha, Fernandez, Schaars, Diego Capel, Izmailov, van Wolfswinkel
    • 19:35 Welcome to our LIVE coverage of City's clash against Sporting Lisbon at Eastlands.

  • Summary

    • 90+5 Kolarov on it, launched in, Yaya on the ball, it almost falls to Nasri, he can't shoot but Kolarov does - deflected and a corner! Hart comes up! Cleared but it falls to a City player - Kolarov with the cross AND HART FLIES IN WITH A HEADER BUT INCHES WIDE!!!
    • 88' Kolarov in space on the left, a super cross AND BALOTELLI FLIES IN but his header is deflected behind for a corner! Polga with the touch!
    • 84' Dzeko heads high and wide after a lovely early cross from Kolarov! Should have done better.
    • 83' GOAL CITY! Kolarov's ball into the box is flicked on by Dzeko and Aguero at the far post smashed in the volleyed finish! 3-2 on the night, level on aggregate.
    • 75' Cheeky devil! Balotelli rolls the penalty casually past a static Patricio while giving him the psycho eyes. 2-2!
    • 74' PENALTY CITY! Aguero is taken down just inside the box, Renato Neto sliding in late just on the line!
    • 60' ... GOAL CITY! They'd been pressing this half and Aguero pulls one back with a superb finish after Yaya Toure's fine low pass sent him into the space between the two defenders. Faint hope.
    • 40' 2-0 SPORTING! City in a royal pickle after Silva fails to track back after a stray header from Kolarov, Izmailov is in and a low ball that Van Wolfswinkel taps in from close range!
    • 35' Silva with a wicked cross from the right that is nicked away from the unmarked Aguero for a corner! City have to score three.
    • 33' Fernandez will take this... WHAT A GOAL FOR SPORTING! AN OUTRAGEOUS CURLER AROUND THE WALL AND BEYOND HART! Inside the far post! 1-0 on the night, 2-0 on aggregate.
    • 20' Balotelli is found in miles of space by a super Aguero ball, he takes it on the chest but delays with a second touch and Polga blocks his finish. An angry Balotelli kicks the ball further into touch in frustration. Corner.
    • 12' Groans from the home fans as Aguero strangely looks backwards to Toure when the forward pass was on - but the move almost sends Balotelli clean through, the Italian somehow onside but slipping at the key moment.
    • 11' Pizarro plays it forward, Silva is free on the left, he swings over a high cross that Johnson volleys but wide! He tried to guide it into the far corner but couldn't get the angle right.
    • 9' Fernandez puts the corner in and Xandao rises but heads wide! Sa Pinto holds his head, he knew that was a chance!
    • 19:40 TEAMS: Man City - Man City: Hart, Richards, Toure, Savic, Kolarov, Pizarro, Toure Yaya, Johnson, Silva, Balotelli, Aguero. //// Sporting: Rui Patricio, Daniel Carrico, Xandao, Anderson Polga, Insua, Bruno Pereirinha, Fernandez, Schaars, Diego Capel, Izmailov, van Wolfswinkel

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      5.4 6
      Defenders
      5.6 6
      5.4 6
      Yellow Card 4.2 5
      Yellow Card 5.3 6
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out55′ 4.8 6
      Yellow Card 5.4 6
      Substitution Out45′ 5 6
      Substitution Out66′ 5.7 5
      Goal Yellow Card 5 6
      Strikers
      Goals ×2 5.9 8
      Subs
      Substitution In45′ 4.1 7
      Substitution In66′ 5.3 7
      Substitution In55′ 5.9 6
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.6 7
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 6.7 5
      6.3 6
      Yellow Card 6.7 6
      7 6
      Midfielders
      Goal Yellow Card Substitution Out64′ 7.2 7
      6.8 6
      6.6 6
      Substitution Out64′ 7 6
      Strikers
      6.6 7
      Goal Substitution Out68′ 7.1 7
      Subs
      Substitution In64′ 6.6 6
      Substitution In64′ 5.9 5
      Substitution In68′ 6.1 6

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