Whata Mistake To Maka!

For the fifth time Manchester City stepped out onto a pitch to the now unmistakable Champions League theme tune. This was to be their last foray onto away soil during the group stage and a win for the away team would secure progression into the knockout stages. However, Napoli haven't lost a home European game since 1994 and for City to come away from Italy with anything would be good.

In the early stages of the game City looked composed and were playing well. DeJong as expected was playing deep and collecting the ball from his back four in order to initiate forward play and with just seven minutes Mario Balotelli bobbled an effort just wide as their keeper stayed rooted to the spot. That was to be the best chance for City in the early exchanges and then in the seventeenth minute the hosts went ahead through a slight Cavani touch. As a corner drifted in Cavani and Yaya Toure both seemed to get slight touches to deflect the ball past first Kolarov and the Hart. City defended the corner with no men on the post and certainly had Kolarov been then certainly this goal could most certainly have been avoided.

City, to their credit, were soon back up and running though and if the positioning of Kolarov for the first goal was in question then it was the shocking defending from Aronica at the other end that levelled the tie. Dzeko crosses the ball into the area and with no City attacker near it should be simple but rushing to clear the ball he places it right at the feet of Silva who fires a shot. De Sanctis could only parry the shot straight into the path of Balotelli and he is not going to miss those sorts of chances.

Half time arrived with the teams level through two defensive mistakes and at this point City would certainly have been the happier of the two sides. Edson Cavani, scorer of the first half goal and the first games goal would prove to have one last say though. Only four minutes into the second half he opened his body well to hit a Dossena cutback first time. It truly was a classy finish but for City it was to be the final nail in the coffin for this game at least.

With less than ten minute left Aguero came on for Dzeko before Cavani left for Pandev. A minute later Adam Johnson came on for Zabaletta as City chased the tie. With time running low on the clock they almost got it, a through ball from Yaya Toure saw Balotelli muscle out Cannavaro and hit it first time. Unfortunately for Balotelli and City, it was straight at De Sanctis.

The referee called time on the game and the result saw Napoli leapfrog their opposition and left Manchester Citys progression in the competition out of their hands with a must win game at home to Bayern in to weeks while hoping Villarreal get their first points in the other game.

Written By: Pa Cityboy (www.facebook.com/pacityboy)