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City's Fight Back
Monday, 3rd Mar 2014 07:49

Two goals in two second-half minutes from Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri sealed Capital One Cup success for City as they came from behind to beat Sunderland in a thrilling final at Wembley.

City created the first noteworthy chance of the game on nine minutes when the returning Sergio Aguero fired in a shot from 25 yards which Vito Mannone did well to push away. A minute later Sunderland stunned City by breaking the deadlock with a superb finish from on-loan striker Borini. Lee Cattermole robbed the ball off Fernandinho on the edge of the Sunderland penalty area and Adam Johnson sent a ball over the top for Borini, who held off the attentions of Vincent Kompany before exquisitely drilling his shot with the outside of his foot past Costel Pantilimon to send the Sunderland fans into raptures.

Aguero created a chance for Nasri on 27 minutes when he broke down the right and picked out the Frenchman inside the box, but on the stretch he could not get enough purchase on his shot to trouble Mannone.

Two minutes later Johnson almost got in goal when he caught the City defence sleeping from a throw-in and his cross was just about scrambled away by Fernandinho.

Borini had a great chance to double Sunderland's lead seven minutes before the break when the Italian, in an offside position, raced clear on goal, but just when he was about to shoot Kompany made a vital last-gasp tackle to deny the striker.

For 50 minutes Sunderland looked on top. They were determined and ­dominating in the midfield battleground.

Ya ya seemed to be having some problems and looked slow on the ball when after an exchange of passes with Zabaleta he glanced up and with the laziest of swings of that right foot, 35 yards out, sheer perfection, the ball arced into the net past the helpless Mannone.

City's second goal came immediately after. This time, Sergio Agüero latched on to Costel Pantilimon's kick and turned the ball into Aleksandar Kolarov's path. His cross from the left was deflected across the penalty area and, without breaking stride, Nasri took it first time, showing remarkable control to send it spinning and swerving into the same corner Borini had picked out in the first half. "We didn't make any mistakes today," Poyet lamented. "They won it with their quality."

Pellegrini sent on Jesus Navas to take advantage of the gaps he knew would open up as Sunderland tried to rescue the game.

Fernandinho robbed Ki outside the City box and suddenly Toure was leading a five against two break. Toure passed for Navas to score and seal the victory.

The City fans who i felt played a contribution in willing City on were sent into raptures and Blue Moon rang out around Wembley.

One down, just. Two, maybe three, to go.

But whatever Manuel Pellegrini and his players have achieved by May, it will not be fought for any harder than yesterday.

Photo: Action Images



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