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Late effort pushes City past Porto

Comment: 0 February 17th, 2012 by: admin

A Sergio Aguero goal gave Manchester City a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Porto Thursday, in the squads’ first of two last-32 Europa League encounters.

Set at the Estadio Do Drago, the match saw the visitors rally back from a 0-1 deficit at halftime with a damning own goal by Porto defender Alvaro Pereira, followed by an Aguero goal in the game’s dying minutes.

City will return to the Etihad Stadium with a significant edge, and bragging rights for breaking Porto’s near-impenetrable home defence that before Thursday stood with a 16-game winning streak.

The current English Premier League leaders started aggressive, Porto keeper Helton fending off efforts from Mario Balotelli and Samir Nasri.

Porto finally answered on the 27^th minute as a curling cross by Hulk found Silvestre Varela who finished, handing the home team a lead that would persist until halftime.

City’s equaliser came in the 55^th when Balotelli, who received an arm in the face care of Alvaro, nudged the ball that bounced off the defender, and right past Porto keeper Helton.

The home team significantly pushed the pressure but were unsuccessful, getting nothing more than a free-kick that City’s Joe Hart merely swatted away.

After that was a long stretch of arguments and fouled attempts as both squads scampered for a defining goal, with their efforts ironically keeping the ball in the middle of the pitch.

The turning point came with five minutes remaining when a Nasri-Yaya Toure passing play dragged Helton away from an unmarked Aguero, who easily sent the ball into the net.

With Porto having no answer, the 2-1 City lead stood until the final whistle.

Commenting on the match, City manager Roberto Mancini praised his side’s performance, noting their second-half burst.

“I think that we played a good game,” Mancini told reporters.  “We played very well.  Also in the first half we had three or four chances to score.  We were really unlucky, but in the second half we played very well.

“Second half maybe we stayed higher and played better,” he continued, “but we had seven or eight chances to score in this game.  We didn’t leave any chances to Porto. I think this is important because Porto is a top team.”

City’s cruise to victory however was hampered by what the club claimed were racist remarks coming from the stands, and aimed at Balotelli and Toure, even before game’s end.

Balotelli claimed to have heard the crowd making what sounded like monkey noises when the striker exited the match for Sergio Aguero on the 77^th.  Toure confirmed that he heard similar sounds while he complained over a referee decision.

When asked, Mancini admitted he “didn’t hear” the sounds being referred to by the players.

City have reportedly complained to UEFA during the incident.  Meanwhile, they travel back to the Emirates Stadium for the second half against Porto on 22 February.

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