Europa League: Red Bull Salzburg v Manchester City full time report
Salzburg 0 Man City 2
Goals in each half gave Manchester City a convincing victory in their opening Europa League Group A clash in Austria.
David Silva slotted home his first for the club inside the opening 10 minutes, profiting from good work from Wayne Bridge and Jo, and the Spaniard went close to doubling his side’s advantage shortly before the break, only to see his effort saved by Gerhard Tremmel.
However, City’s second did arrive in the second period, when Jo followed up a Carlos Tévez effort to slam home only his fourth goal for the club.
Salzburg created little, although skipper Ibrahim Sekagya did hit the crossbar in the first half.
This was a routine win for the English side, and the perfect start to their group campaign.
City settled quickly, and amidst the raucous atmosphere of the home fans, they were soon to make their mark.
Bridge – making a first appearance of the season – crossed low from the left, and after a closely watched Jo laid the ball back, Silva was on hand to calmly stroke a precise effort into the bottom corner for his first City goal.
The strike settled the visitors, and after skipper Tévez tested Tremmel, Jo brought another good save from the German ‘keeper only to be flagged marginally offside.
However, the longer the half progressed the greater in confidence Salzburg grew, and after Joe Hart had unconvincingly punched a cross, Ugandan skipper Sekagya struck an effort in to the ground that bounced up onto the top of the crossbar.
More City uncertainty nearly led to a chance for Joaquin Boghossian, but they always carried an obvious threat at the other end, and Tévez was soon tested Tremmel again, before the Salzburg goalkeeper brilliantly kept out Silva when the Spaniard looked certain to score his second.
He was almost left wishing that he did as, moments into the second half, Nikola Pokrivac’s free kick whistled past Hart’s left hand post, but City began the period showing much the same threat as they showed in the first one, and Tévez was soon firing wildly wide following a good break.
A second was around the corner though, and after Salzburg stood off City following a free kick, Tremmel could only parry a Tévez effort straight into the path of Jo, and the Brazilian – brought in from the cold by Roberto Mancini this season – fired in from close range.
That goal knocked the stuffing out of Salzburg, and with Red Bull running out of energy, City set about trying to extend their lead.
Tévez had cut a frustrated figure for most of the night, and came close again after twisting and turning the home defence, before Gareth Barry was inches away from connecting with a Yaya Touré cross from close range.
The match petered out, amidst loud singing from the travelling English fans, boasting about how they were going to win the Europa League.
This was impressive, but those supporters and their club will know that there is an awful long way to go yet.
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