UCL: City beat Plzen in opener

VIKTORIA  PLZEN     0  -  3 MANCHESTER CITY

                                                                                            

DZEKO 48`, TOURE 53` AGUERO 58` 

Tuesday night saw Manchester City open their Champions League group with an away fixture travelling to the Czech city of Plzen, home of the Pilsner beer and where City were hoping to avoid an occurring Champions League 'Hangover' that they have suffered with for the past two seasons.

The Manchester club has always seemed to come up on the wrong end of the draws in the tournament, as they have suffered two arguably 'groups of death' in their two seasons of Champions league football.

Last season saw them finish bottom of their group, as they failed to pick up a win in their 6 group games involving the likes of Ajax, Real Madrid and Last year`s Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund.

This time around though, they had the easier group than the past two seasons and had the easier match of the 3 opponents in their group. 

Manuel Pellegrini gave a shock recall to Blues Captain Vincent Kompany, who had recovered from a groin strain picked up back in the premier league opener v Newcastle back in August.

So having the talisman back for City, gave them the boost they needed going into this contest knowing that a victory was needed to get them off to a good start this time around.

Early stages saw both sides playing cagey and going through the feeling out process, then in the 6th minute of the game a hard shot by Spaniard Jesus Navas saw it tipped over the bar by the Plzen goalkeeper Matus Kozacik. From the resulting corner kick by Samir Nasri, Edin Dzeko header was put towards the goal and Yaya Toure who should have hit the target from a couple of feet out, headed over the bar from close range with the goal keeper making himself big to stop it.

Plzen look bright going forwards as the half went on, although they weren`t taking shots on Joe Hart as they were enjoying a bit of possession and finding a lot of success down the City left side, as they targeted Kolarov who was the weakest link for City at the back.

Plzen made a few good moves, but their trouble was that they couldn`t find the telling pass or they struggled to control the ball when in good areas on a couple of occasions.

The home side finally created a chance, when a Tomas Horava free kick was whipped in and Joe Hart parried it away before Dzeko headed the ball away free from danger.

City not for the first time wasted another opportunity to break the deadlock, when in the 22nd minute Nasri found Kolarov free down the left wing, the Serbian defender put in a great ball into the area for Dzeko, whose attempt was headed right at the keeper at the back post and the rebound was smothered by Kozacik.

Sergio Aguero then went close for the away side, when he ran at the Czech defenders and saw his shot from outside the area hit the post and Kozacik collected after a weak Kolarov shot that came from the rebound coming off the post.

City had took charge of the game now and were the more threatening side of the two, as they looked like the side of a couple of seasons back with their play.

City then nearly finished off a well worked move, with Samir Nasri putting a lovely weighted ball in for Aguero and the Argentine was tackled in the area, but the ball came to Navas and just as he went to pull the trigger the Plzen defender kicked it away and Aguero hand ball it as it was going out.

Plzen had one more chance before the half ended, when Rajtoral crossed into the area for Horava and his acrobatic shot went wide of goals.

Second half saw Manchester City finally make the breakthrough when Kompany intercepted a pass outside his penalty area and saw the run of Aguero up field, so the Belgian International kicked it up the pitch and perfectly found Aguero who ran at the defender, out muscling him despite him grabbing shirt and falling by the wayside. Ageuro then rolled the ball across the area and Dzeko was on hand to side footed home to the far post in the 48th minute for 1-0.

Dzeko then fired two shots wide of the goal in a 30 second spell and the City striker could easily have had a hat trick by now as they were opening up now the Plzen defence with ease now and should have put the game to bed.

In the 52nd minute City pressure told as Yaya Toure scored a fantastic goal, as he and Nasri played a one-two before the Ivorian curled one top corner from 25 yards out and looked to have give City the game as Plzen didn`t look to be able to mount a comeback after Toure goal.

Things got even better for Pellegrini`s side, when Aguero got a deserved goal when he received a pass from Nasri in the area and the small Argentine striker collected the ball, then ran across the box before firing into the far corner past the goalkeeper`s outstretched arm for a 3-0 score line.

Yaya Toure had a free kick go over the bar bringing his recent run of set pieces to an end with a poor effort by his standards, James Milner then came on for Jesus Navas as City just controlled the game as Plzen tried their hardest to try and push forward and score a goal in the contest.

Aguero had another effort on goal, but Kozacik made a save to stop it being 4-0, City nearly made it four when Aguero was on a breakaway and waited for substitute Alvaro Negredo to get into the area before the fizzing ball to the Spanish striker was put over.

Full time whistle blew for full time with Manchester City winning their first Champions League game since beating their next opponents in their group Bayern Munich, 2-0 back in December 2011 at the Etihad Stadium and where City will hope lightning strikes twice in 2 weeks time on Matchday 2. However they have the Manchester derby to contend with on Sunday at home with United.