Manchester City 2 Sevilla 1
Manchester City Rami 36' (og), De Bruyne 90'+1
Sevilla Konoplyanka 30'
Man of the match Yevhen Konoplyanka (Sevilla)
Manchester // For so long, this threatened to be another dispiriting European night for Manchester City. The Uefa Champions League anthem was booed before kick off and it seemed the sense of frustration would last until the end.
Yet even when they are below their best, City possess an invaluable asset: high-class players. Two combined to turn an underwhelming point into a vital victory.
In stoppage time, Yaya Toure led a counter-attack and picked out Kevin de Bruyne. The Belgian cut inside and planted his shot in the bottom corner of the Sevilla net for his fifth goal in seven starts.
It was an immediate illustration why City paid £54 million (Dh305.7m) for him and why he has been shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or.
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De Bruyne has a capacity to make a difference and now City, who had only won one of their previous six Champions League home games, have the upper hand in a private battle to secure a place in the last 16.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini believes the double header with Sevilla will decide who qualifies and, should City avoid defeat in Spain next month, they will be favourites.
They could be encouraged by the fact that they came from behind to secure victory, just as they had against Borussia Monchengladbach. Elements of the performance, particularly defensively, were more worrying.
When Sevilla went ahead, there was an inevitability about both the score and the scorer.
Yevhen Konoplyanka was outstanding, playing with the invention and dynamism to suggest his recruitment, on a free transfer from Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, was one of the signings of the summer. The Ukrainian had faced Sevilla in the final of last season’s Europa League and it was evident why they liked what they saw.
De Bruyne, who was to earn redemption later, conceded possession before Konoplyanka steered in Vitolo’s cross.
Their lead was deserved. Sevilla played with intelligence, looking to stretch City with their pace and width when counter-attacking.
That was allied to a set-piece menace, courtesy of Konoplyanka. The Ukrainian fooled Joe Hart by shaping to cross from a free kick, shooting and clipping the near post. The goalkeeper recovered to save Grzegorz Krychowiak’s subsequent shot.
The same pair threatened again when Krychowiak headed Konoplyanka’s corner just wide before the latter struck.
City’s response was both quick and unexpected. Toure wriggled his way free on the byline and crossed, Raheem Sterling had a shot blocked by Sergio Rico and Wilfried Bony’s stabbed rebound was turned into his own net by Adil Rami.
The goal was debited to the French defender, denying Bony a first Champions League strike.
The Ivorian striker’s ineffective evening was summed up when Pellegrini replaced him in the search for a winner. It proved an astute move, as Toure and De Bruyne exploited the extra licence to roam they were afforded.
Before then, Sevilla had clear opportunities to score a winner. Kevin Gameiro headed over and Vicente Iborra volleyed wide, both when left unmarked. That was telling. City have a capacity to concede in continental competition and have now only kept four clean sheets in 31 Champions League games. One man may not be a panacea for their problems, but the lack of organisation rendered it all the odder that Vincent Kompany was only a late substitute.
Pellegrini’s decision to omit the Belgian defender hinted at deeper issues in the relationship between manager and captain.
City have only conceded one goal this season with Kompany on the pitch but Pellegrini was annoyed by his decision to make his comeback for his country last week in a Euro 2016 qualifier. Yet the importance of this game should have dictated Kompany started and he ought to return for Sunday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
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