Manchester City versus Sunderland – First half review: English Premier League (Part 1)
Manchester City kicked off their English Premier League encounter against Sunderland with a bang at the Eastlands stadium in Manchester as Roberto Mancini decided to start with an ambitious approach to the match. Mancini left Edin Dzeko on the bench and
instead opted for http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mario-Balotelli-c23937 as City’s main striker. The mercurial Italian striker was supported in the attack by Adam Johnson and Carlos Tevez.
In midfield, Manchester City entrusted Yaya Toure and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vincent-Kompany-c36184 as Manchester City’s
two center backs.
Alexander Kolarov and Derek Boyata took up their usual wing back roles for the Citizens. On the other hand, Sunderland started the match with Asamoah Gyan as their star striker with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Stéphane-c34105 Sessegnon supporting the Ghanaian international. Daniel Wellbeck
also started for the Black Cats but he was deployed on the right wing by Sunderland’s manager, Steve Bruce.
Manchester City started the match off in ascendency as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Adam-Johnson-c3537 looked like the home teams’ best player in the first half. It was Johnson who gave City their first goal of the match in the ninth minute. The English winger played a wonderful one-two pass
with Yaya Toure. The former Barcelona midfielder played in Johnson inside the Sunderland penalty area and the Englishman made no mistake as he executed a perfectly timed finish to slip the ball past Simon Mignolet.
Sunderland hardly posed an offensive threat in the first half at Eastlands. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Joleon-Lescott-c18941 and company but Manchester City’s resolute defence defended well against the two African born forwards.
In the 14th minute of the match, disaster struck for the away side as Carlos Tevez was pulled to the ground by Phillip Bardsley.
The ex-Manchester United defender barged into the Argentinean striker who went down very easily to win a penalty kick for Manchester City. Bardsley was duly shown a yellow card by the referee in the aftermath of his decision as the young wing back became
the first Sunderland player to get booked in the match.
Tevez stepped up to take the spot kick himself and made no mistake from the spot to take the score-line to 2-0 in favour of the home side. Sunderland’s goalkeeper, Simon Mignolet, did get a touch on the ball but the former West Ham striker’s shot had too
much power on it as City took a two goal lead at their City of Manchester Stadium.
End of Part 1….
Tags: