City beat UAE giants Al Ain on Thursday evening 3-0. On a balmy night the Blues omitted every player who would be travelling to the World Cup Finals this summer. Which gave us all a chance to see some of the youngsters in action. First the full first team squad (minus Aguero who hasn;t travelled) paraded their silverware and celebrated with Sheikh Mansour.

On to the match and Captain Kolarov, playing in an advanced role on the left ahead of Clichy, had a claim for a penalty as early as 25 seconds, trying a cheeky nudge and run move around the defender that he wouldn’t dream of attempting in the Premier League.

The best of the early exchanges saw young Macros Lopes combine well with Nasri to send Stevan Jovetic clear. The Montenegrin’s dinked cross, though, was easily snaffled by goalkeeper Waleed Salem.

The hosts really should have led in the eighth minute. Omar Abdulrahman, the golden boy of UAE sport who has been trailed at a number of Premier League clubs including City, wriggled clear near the byline and floated a sumptuous cross into centre-half Mohanad Salem; afforded the freedom of the six-yard box, he really should have done better than flash a header wide.

Moments later, after Kolarov had slashed an effort wide from distance, the star man was it again, teasing Clichy into a challenge, skipping past him, and drawing a smart stop by Costel Pantilimon with a cute attempt.

Next, Omar’s brother Mohamed, playing wide-left, blasted over, before Lopes hit back for City, seeing his effort smothered at the near post.

After a brief pause for the returning-to-fitness Nastasic to receive treatment to what appeared to be a hand wound — though it could have been to catch a breather in
this heat — Jovetic showed his class with darting run and shot.

The impetus was somewhat taken out of the occasion on 20 minutes when the hosts made 10 — yes, TEN — changes, leaving only Australian striker Alex Brosque — a shock exclusion from the Socceroos’ World Cup squad — on, though 11 minutes later he was hooked for Adel Gamal.

Few quite knew what to make of it, that was until Ismail Matar emerged from the bench. Matar, a bone fide legend in these parts having captained the UAE to two Gulf Cup successes, saluted the crowd who had all risen to their feet for him.

The cheer, considering he’s played his whole career at Al Wahda in Abu Dhabi, was intense.

It took a while — and a Mexican Wave — for the action on the field to become anything near exciting again; Clichy and Jovetic eeking out City’s best chance, teeing up Micah Richards who thundered against the near post.

The visitors, though, were in the ascendancy and went close through Nasri when perhaps the under fire Frenchman should have done better with his half-volley.
Before the break Richards, too, was wasteful.

The second-half started amid farcical scenes. Two young fans bursting onto the pitch embracing both Nasri and Jovetic, high-fiving Lopes, hanging off the
crossbar and jumping back to their seats… all without a steward coming with 50 yards.

The two gentlemen in yellow bibs who did raise themselves from slumber to amble onto the pitch, looked like they’d rather be anywhere else in the world.

On 53 minutes, substitute stopper Richard Wright (remember him?) was forced into low save with his feet, and then the former England international was rooted to his spot as an unnamed substitute — yes, another one — curled a free kick just wide.

Ten minutes later, a kung-fu style block from Nastasic saved his keeper from once again being called into action. Al Ain were turning the screw, and they were also keeping the turnstile at the side of the pitch turning, too.

By the hour-mark, 14 substitutions had been made.

Right on cue, however, City broke the deadlock. A delicious outside-of-the-boot pass, which travelled some 30 yards, from Nasri sent Marcos Lopes in the clear. The 18-year-old Portuguese youth international, who has been on the books at the Etihad since 2011, had a long time to think about his finish, but despatched the ball with aplomb.

Moments later, he was gifted another opportunity, but prodded embarrassingly wide.

An excellent double-save from Wright, after a slip from Richards kept the visitors ahead, and after another couple of changes from the hosts — 25 now in total — Boyata burst out from the back and thundered through a crowd of players in a style akin to Patrick Vieira.

His shot, though, was tame and trickled wide.

Jovetic then latched onto yet another sumptuous pass from Nasri, and when he first touch took him too wide around the goalkeeper, the former Fiorentina man danced back inside and blasted home through two defenders stationed on the line.

There was still time for youngster Jordi Hiwula to slam home a penalty to complete the win.

Photo: Action Images

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