FOOTBALL Live

Saturday March 8, 2008 Finished Madejski Stadium

Reading 2 - Logo 0

Reading

  • Long 61’
  • Kitson 87’

Manchester City

  1. Reading climb, City slump

    Reading climb, City slump

    Shane Long and Dave Kitson scored the goals as Reading boosted their survival hopes with a priceless 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the Madejski Stadium. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Reading
    • Manchester City
    • - Thanks for joining me this afternoon; make sure you stick around for all the reaction and reports from this afternoon's matches.
    • 91 FULL-TIME: A fine second-half showing from the home side sees them score twice to seal the points that will lift them out of the relegation zone.
    • 89 Doyle fires just the wrong side of the post as Reading continue to counter.
    • 87 GOAL! KITSON! The sub cuts in from the right with the City defenders backing off, before tucking a low left-foot shot inside the near post!
    • 86 OVER! Caicedo nods over the crossbar from eight yards out after getting on the end of Castillo's cross from the right.
    • 84 Reading are content to play on the break, but they are still looking quite dangerous, especially with City committing so many players forward.
    • 82 City have barely threatened in the last twenty minutes; lots of shots from distance, but the home side look really well organised.
    • 80 WHAT WAS THAT? Benjani heads straight into the ground from eight yards out after springing the offside trap and being picked out by a fine cross! Should have done much, much better there.
    • 79 Elano's shot from 25 yards is blocked on the edge of the box as Reading defend their area well.
    • 78 READING SUB: Marek Matejovsky is taken off, Cisse thrown on as Steve Coppell looks to shore up his midfield in the final stages.
    • 76 Fernandes hoists a hopeful ball forward, but it is too far in front of Benjani, who gives up the chase.
    • 75 City have got a lot of attacking players on the field right now; can they find a way through a stubborn Reading defence?
    • 73 City have used all their subs, so Ball is going to have to play on with his injured ankle...he seems to be moving okay, though, after treatment on the sideline.
    • 72 Caicedo wins City a corner when his cross is deflected behind...Hahnemann comes to try and punch Elano's centre, but misses it...Bikey heads clear.
    • 70 More bad news for City...Ball looks fairly badly injured after landing badly on his ankle.
    • 69 Reading have really clicked into life now...the game is going to be very open for the last twenty minutes, I think.
    • 67 Hart is lucky to get away with a misjudgment as he misses a cross from the right...although he does well to save the follow-up effort with his foot.
    • 66 CITY SUB: Castillo comes on for Hamann as City throw on all their attacking options in search of an equaliser.
    • 64 City will wonder how they are behind in this match; they have been all over the home side throughout.
    • 63 ALMOST TWO! Long and Doyle combine again, Long pulling out wide before curling a cross into the middle...Doyle heads wide of the far post from 10 yards out.
    • 62 GOAL! Fine play by Doyle, who gets around his marker on the left before pulling the ball back to Long...who tucks it home first-time from eight yards.
    • 61 OFF THE POST! Bikey's deflected effort at the corner cannons off the upright and back into play...Ball hooks clear.
    • 60 JUST WIDE! Long's shot from an angle is deflected by Corluke just the wrong side of the post, with Hart stranded.
    • 59 CITY SUB: Sven brings on new-boy Caicedo as he searches for a breakthrough goal; Vassell makes way.
    • 57 Hunt's cross from the right is almost met by Long...but he just can't get a clean contact on his near-post header.
    • 55 CLOSE! Elano's low drive flies just the wrong side of the post, although Hahnemann looked to have it covered with his dive.
    • 54 DECENT EFFORT! Fernandes controls the ball on his chest before volleying goalwards from 25 yards...comfortable save for the Reading keeper.
    • 53 City are dominating at the start of the second half...Reading have barely had the ball since the restart.
    • 52 More direct running from Vassell wins his side a corner off Rosenior...Elano curls it into the middle...the ball is deflected by Bike across the face of goal and out for a City throw.
    • 50 Benjani almost shows the pace needed to get on the end of Hamann's ball over the top, but Hahnemann comes to the edge of his box to collect.
    • 49 WIDE! Johnson's poor headed clearance at a corner only finds Marek Matejovsky...but his first-time volley is flashed wide.
    • 48 Vassell hits the by-line after a nice one-two with Johnson, but his cross is poor and cleared at the near post.
    • 47 Nice attack from City, but Elano's cross towards Vassell at the back stick is just overhit.
    • 46 The second half is underway...
    • 45 HALF-TIME: City have dominated this half, and probably deserve to go in in front...as it is, they are level.
    • 44 Johnson is booked for diving in the City box...an odd decision, as he did seem to get caught by Ivar Ingimarsson after just nicking the ball off him.
    • 43 ALMOST! Benjani cuts the ball back from the by-line...just behind the two City men in the box...
    • 42 Johnson goes down in the box under Harper's challenge after controlling Elano's neat chip...no penalty, despite the half-hearted claims.
    • 40 SAVE! Hart keeps out Marek Matejovsky's bobbling effort, struck through a crowd as City half-clear a corner.
    • 39 REALLY CLOSE! Shorey flicks on Oster's inswinging free-kick, but the ball glances just the wrong side of the post, with Hart diving desperately.
    • 38 Sun's clumsy kick at Shorey results in a free-kick to Reading...swung into the middle...
    • 35 CLOSE! Doyle flashes a glancing header across the face of goal after just getting in front of Corluka at a corner.
    • 34 City have certainly had the better of this half, but again they lack a bit of a cutting edge in the final third...
    • 33 Elano is playing on the right, although he is doing a lot of cutting inside, leaving City a bit short on that flank.
    • 32 Vassell forces another corner for his side with a penetrating run down the left...it is taken short before Elano lofts it into the middle...Hahnemann claims.
    • 30 How will City cope with the loss of their inspirational skipper? Bit of a makeshift look to their defence at the moment...
    • 29 CITY SUB: Dunne is taken off, he looks in severe pain...nightmare for City...Sun Jihai comes on to play right-back, Corluke shifting to the middle.
    • 28 Dunne is down, needing some treatment...the physio calls for a stretcher...this doesn't look good...Sun is stripping off on the bench...
    • 27 WEAK! Vassell curls a decent cross into the box, where Benjani has lost his marker...but he can't get any power on the header and Marcus Hahnemann claims comfortably.
    • 26 A juddering tackle from Dunne halts Hunt's charge down the right; great stuff from the City captain.
    • 25 City could really do with a win this afternoon after slipping back in the European chase; they have only one win in their last seven league matches...
    • 24 Elano flights another free-kick into the box, but Bikey heads clear from Dunne on the penalty spot.
    • 23 HOW DID HE MISS? Another City set-piece curled into the middle... it evades everyone other than Corluka, stealing into the six-yard box...but somehow he manages to prod over from five yards out!
    • 22 City win a corner when Vassell's run and attempted cross is blocked by Rosenior...but it comes to nothing as Marcus Hahnemann collects comfortable.
    • 20 A fine interception from Ball prevents a through-ball from reaching Doyle, sprinting through the middle.
    • 18 Hamann is booked for bringing down Oster just inside the City half. He isn't happy, but it was a fairly obvious trip.
    • 17 It's dry in Reading at the moment, but we could be set for a downpour later in the game; that could make conditions tricky...
    • 15 Johnson is brought down by Shorey after a lung-busting run to get ahead of the Reading defence...free-kick on the right for City...cleared by Marcus Hahnemann's punch.
    • 13 OVER-RAN! Benjani cuts into the box from the right...he looks for someone to pull the ball back to after reaching the by-line, but over-runs the ball and Marcus Hahnemann collects.
    • 12 WOEFUL! Vassell does well to control a pass spread out to him on the left wing...but his attempted cross is horribly sliced and flies behind for a goal-kick. Dreadful.
    • 11 Kevin Doyle is just caught offside as he tries to get on the end of a quickly taken free-kick...a pity for the home side, as he had rounded Hart and was ready to roll the ball home.
    • 10 A dangerous cross into a crowded City box is cleared by Dunne as Reading try to put some pressure on the visitors.
    • 8 Corluka clips a cross to the back, where Vassell tries to bring the ball down...he is clattered by Marek Matejovsky and the players turn to the refere...no penalty.
    • 6 A quick, short free-kick almost creates a chance for Reading, but Oster just can't flick the ball into Hunt's path inside the box.
    • 5 Johnson escapes a booking for a slightly high challenge on Oster just inside the City half...
    • 4 Hunt's dangerous cross is well claimed by Hart on the edge of his six-yard box.
    • 3 Benjani is caught off-side as he tries to bring down Johnson's through-ball, but City have started well.
    • 2 City have Ball at centre-back today, with Richards and Onuoha currently injured; bit of a switch-around at the back for the visitors.
    • 1 OFF WE GO!
    • 0 The players are out, the fans are ready, the ball is on the centre-spot...
    • - Hi there; welcome to our coverage of this Premier League match from the Madejski Stadium...

  • Team Stats

    Reading Stats Manchester City
    41% Possession 58%
    16 Shots 13
    6 Shots on target 3
    2 Saves 3
    7 Corners 5
    11 Fouls 10
    4 Offsides 1
    0 Yellow cards 2
    0 Red cards 0
    19 Tackles 20
    146 Accurate passes 281
    31 Bad passes 73

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Reading
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Marcus Hahnemann 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 0
      16 Ivar Ingimarsson 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 10 1 2
      3 Nicky Shorey 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 16 11 1
      19 Liam Rosenior 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 1
      22 André Stéphane Bikey 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 8 2 2
      28 Marek Matejovsky 0 2 1 2 1 0 0 16 6 2
      15 James Harper 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 17 3 3
      10 Stephen Hunt 0 3 2 0 2 0 0 8 1 3
      11 John Oster 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 22 1 0
      9 Kevin Doyle 0 5 0 1 3 3 1 7 1 1
      24 Shane Long 1 3 1 1 1 1 0 16 4 3
      12 Dave Kitson 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1
      5 Ibrahima Sonko 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      4 Khalifa Cissé 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0
      32 Adam Federici 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      30 Jimmy Kebe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    • Manchester City
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      25 Joe Hart 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 7 0
      24 Javier Garrido 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 36 13 1
      3 Michael Ball 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 19 3 3
      16 Vedran Corluka 0 2 0 1 2 0 0 27 4 1
      22 Richard Dunne 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 3
      11 Blumer Elano 0 3 0 1 1 0 0 32 6 2
      21 Dietmar Hamann 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 29 8 2
      6 Michael Johnson 0 1 0 2 2 0 0 25 8 1
      28 Gelson Fernandes 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 36 9 3
      27 Benjamin Mwaruwari 0 3 2 1 2 1 0 17 3 2
      12 Darius Vassell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 8 0
      19 Kasper Schmeichel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      17 Sun Jihai 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 27 0 1
      7 Stephen Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      30 Nery Castillo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
      20 Felipe Caicedo 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 7 4 1

  • Summary

    • 87 GOAL! KITSON! The sub cuts in from the right with the City defenders backing off, before tucking a low left-foot shot inside the near post!
    • 63 ALMOST TWO! Long and Doyle combine again, Long pulling out wide before curling a cross into the middle...Doyle heads wide of the far post from 10 yards out.
    • 62 GOAL! Fine play by Doyle, who gets around his marker on the left before pulling the ball back to Long...who tucks it home first-time from eight yards.
    • 61 OFF THE POST! Bikey's deflected effort at the corner cannons off the upright and back into play...Ball hooks clear.
    • 39 REALLY CLOSE! Shorey flicks on Oster's inswinging free-kick, but the ball glances just the wrong side of the post, with Hart diving desperately.
    • 27 WEAK! Vassell curls a decent cross into the box, where Benjani has lost his marker...but he can't get any power on the header and Marcus Hahnemann claims comfortably.
    • 23 HOW DID HE MISS? Another City set-piece curled into the middle... it evades everyone other than Corluka, stealing into the six-yard box...but somehow he manages to prod over from five yards out!
    • 12 WOEFUL! Vassell does well to control a pass spread out to him on the left wing...but his attempted cross is horribly sliced and flies behind for a goal-kick. Dreadful.
    • 8 Corluka clips a cross to the back, where Vassell tries to bring the ball down...he is clattered by Marek Matejovsky and the players turn to the refere...no penalty.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Uriah Rennie

  • Reading

    Manager: Steve Coppell

    Captain: Ivar Ingimarsson

    On the Field

    • Hahnemann
    • Rosenior
    • Bikey
    • Ingimarsson
    • Shorey
    • Oster
    • Harper
    • Matejovsky
    • Hunt
    • Doyle
    • Long Goal

    Subs

    • Sonko
    • Kitson Goal
    • Kebe
    • Cisse

    Injured

    • Duberry
    • Gunnarsson
    • Little
    • Convey
    • Murty
    • Fae

    Suspended

    None

  • Manchester City

    Manager: Sven-Göran Eriksson

    Captain: Richard Dunne

    On the Field

    • Hart
    • Garrido
    • Corluka
    • Dunne Substitution Out (28′)
    • Ball
    • Vassell
    • Hamann Yellow Card Substitution Out (66′)
    • Johnson
    • Gelson
    • Elano
    • Benjani

    Subs

    • Castillo Substitution In (66′)
    • Sun Substitution In (28′)
    • Schmeichel
    • Ireland
    • Felipe Caicedo Substitution In (59′) Substitution Out (59′)

    Injured

    • Bojinov
    • Onuoha
    • Richards

    Suspended

    • Petrov