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Attendance: 45,310
Manchester City logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Sep 26, 2017 at 7.45pm UK
 
Shakhtar Donetsk

2-0

De Bruyne (48'), Sterling (90')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Live Commentary: Manchester City 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk - as it happened

Relive Manchester City's win over Shakhtar Donetsk with Sports Mole's text commentary.
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Manchester City made it two wins out of two in the Champions League group stages with a 2-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Etihad Stadium.

Kevin De Bruyne broke the deadlock shortly after the interval following an evenly-matched first half.

The Sky Blues left it until the final minute to make the points safe, with substitute Raheem Sterling netting their second in the 90th minute.

Find out how the match unfolded with Sports Mole's text commentary below.


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Good evening and welcome to our live text coverage of the Champions League meeting between Manchester City and Shakhtar Donetsk, a match which marks the first home game of the Sky Blues' Group F campaign. Team news incoming...

CITY XI: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Delph; D Silva, Fernandinho, De Bruyne; Sane, Aguero, G Jesus

SHAKHTAR: Pyatov; Butko, Stepanenko, Taison, Fred, Bernard, Marlos, Ordets, Ferreyra, Ismaily, Rakitskiy

So City have set out an attacking stall at the Etihad, with Sergio Aguero partnering Gabriel Jesus up front. They will have plenty of support from Kevin De Bruyne David Silva and Leroy Sane, and are in devastating form. Expect to see some goals from the hosts tonight.

Captain Vincent Kompany is out injured, so Nicolas Otamendi will partner John Stones at centre-back this evening, while Fabian Delph has been given a rare chance to shine at left-back.

As is the case with City, an Argentine will provide Shakhtar's goal threat. Facundo Ferreyra, who had an unsuccessful loan spell at Newcastle United in 2014-15, will lead the line for the visitors. They also have plenty of attacking midfielders who like to get forward. Brazilian duo Fred and Bernard are ones to watch tonight.

A measure of controversy surrounds Shakhtar ahead of this game. Their captain Darijo Srna, an experienced Croatian defender, failed a drugs test last week and removed himself from the squad to clear his name. Srna insists he's never knowingly taken a banned substance, but his absence will be felt either way.

City head into the game in cracking form, unbeaten in the league, scoring goals for fun and having won the opening match of their Champions League group campaign 4-0 in Feyenoord. Pep Guardiola will no doubt be delighted with the way his side has started the season.

Pep Guardiola watches on during the Premier League game between Southampton and Manchester City on April 15, 2017`© SilverHub


Shakhtar, who are nigh on unbeatable domestically these days, should provide a stern test for Guardiola's charges, although they tend to suffer from travel sickness in Europe. They've lost their last four away games in this competition, conceding 14 goals and scoring none.

They've lost on all four occasions that they've played Premier League opposition in England too. In fact, Ukrainian sides in general struggle here - none of them have managed to win in England in 14 attempts.

Tonight, however, marks an opportunity for Shakhtar to win their first two Champions League group matches for the third time in their history. Manchester City have never achieved that feat, but they're unbeaten at home in this competition since September 2015, when Juventus overcame them.

PREDICTION: It won't be easy for City tonight. Shakhtar have achieved total dominance of Ukrainian football and they improve on the European front every season, but I still think Guardiola's men will prove too strong for them, especially in their current form. I'm going for a 3-1 win for Manchester City.

Pre-match quotes from the two managers coming up...

GUARDIOLA: "It is the seventh time I have played against Shakhtar. The first time we faced them was in the Champions League group stage. My team went to see them and came back saying 'wow'. I can assure you they were always one of the best teams in terms of playing football. It was always so tough for me. My players are going to see how good they are and hopefully I can convince them to take them seriously. Shakhtar deserve all my credit." (via BBC Sport)

FONSECA: "We are going to be playing one of the best teams in the world, the team that has probably played better than anybody else in the last six games. We understand the strengths and weaknesses of the players and the manager but this is going to be a game of maximum complexity." (via ESPN)

There's a milestone for one Shakhtar player tonight. Veteran goalkeeper Andiy Pyatov will become only the fourth Ukrainian to reach 50 games in the Champions League, having been named in the starting XI.

And speaking of milestones, this man Sergio Aguero will join Eric Brook as Manchester City's all-time record scorer on 177 goals if he finds the net against Shakhtar tonight. No pressure then, Sergio.

Sergio Aguero celebrates netting the third during the Premier League game between Southampton and Manchester City on April 15, 2017`© SilverHub


We are almost guaranteed to see goals at the Etihad tonight, and here's why...



Plenty at stake at the Etihad this evening. Manchester City's unbeaten start to the season, two 100% records in the Champions League group stage and the Sky Blues' goals record is within the reach of Sergio Aguero. Which of those records will be left intact by the end of tonight? Stay tuned to find out.

KICK OFF! The visitors get us underway at the Etihad.

Sergio Aguero's first contribution to the game is to cut inside the box, swerve two defenders and shoot miles wide of the target. The Argentina international's effort actually ends up out for a throw-in, something that doesn't often happen when he lets fly.

There's a good energy about City in these opening stages. They're drawing on the atmosphere inside the stadium and have set out a high-pressing stall. That said, the visitors have enjoyed plenty of possession and managed to soak up the early pressure, without venturing into the final third.

CHANCE! City come close to the opening goal as Rakitskiy goes in for a challenge but loses the ball. This allows Jesus to surge through on goal and square a pass towards David Silva, who has time and space to get his shot off, but the Frenchman fluffs his lines with an awkward first touch and blasts his shot wide.

A dangerous ball over the top almost puts Fred clean through on goal, but John Stones tracks back and beats the Brazilian to it, putting the ball behind for a Shakhtar corner. Plenty of possession from the visitors, though that's the first time they've threatened.

There's one other match going on in Group F at the moment. Napoli lead Feyenoord 1-0 in Italy. Lorenzo Insigne scored the opener after seven minutes.

City are allowing Shakhtar to see too much of the ball here. It isn't often a team comes to the Etihad and enjoys this kind of possession. The visitors have already proved a threat through Fred and Ferreyra, both of whom have been a handful for the City backline.

The hosts finally break through the Shakhtar midfield with a pacey counter. Aguero leads the charge and finds himself clean through on goal, but the move breaks down when the linesman's flag rightly goes up. The Argentinian was a little too eager there.

Now Jesus has been caught offside. Clearly Guardiola has instructed his players to test the Shakhtar goalkeeper tonight, but their build-up play has been hasty. City will have to be more patient in search of a breakthrough tonight.

Possession is beginning to swing in the home side's favour, but they're losing the midfield battle. Bernard has been dominant in the middle of the park, inspiring Shakhtar counter-attacks and giving Walker the run around just a moment ago.

CHANCE! Jesus threads a measured pass through to De Bruyne, who uses his blistering pace to get goal side of his defender. The Belgian surges into the box and pulls the trigger, but his effort ends up wide of the far post. He should have at least tested Pyatov after doing everything else right.

Still goalless at the Etihad, but both sides have pressed. It will be a shock if it stays this way since none of Manchester City's previous 37 Champions League group stage matches have finished 0-0.

Half-chances at both ends as Shakhtar set City nerves jangling. Marlos's ball across the face of goal forces Ederson to race off his line and parry, clearing haphazardly. Moments earlier, Sane had a pop at goal after charging down the right flank, Pyato smothering his effort without too much difficulty.

SHOT! A lovely turn from Delph wide on the left allows him to pick out the onrushing Sane. The Frenchman cuts inside the box and lets fly. For a moment, it looks like his shot is destined for the bottom corner, but it just misses the far post. City have dropped the tempo now and adopted a more patient approach.

There will be one minute of stoppage time to play at the Etihad.

HALF TIME: Manchester City 0-0 Shakhtar Donetsk

Manchester City and Shakhtar Donetsk head into the break goalless following a very even 45 minutes of football. The hosts have edged it on clear-cut chances, but possession is almost 50/50 (53% to City, to be exact) and the Ukrainians have looked capable of doing some damage.

In terms of shots on target, the Sky Blues have edged it with two to Shakhtar's one, and off target is a similar story at three to two in the home side's favour. The best chances of the half have fallen to the hosts, but neither De Bruyne nor Sane could hit the target.

The Sky Blues were guilty of being over eager in their build-up play from the off. They appeared desperate to test Pyatov in the away goal, but they've since settled down and adopted a more patient approach, almost as if to acknowledge that they're evenly matched.

Shakhtar have made it clear they're not just hear to make up the numbers and have shown great discipline and organisation so far.

KICK OFF! City get the game back underway.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (Kevin De Bruyne)

What a goal! Kevin De Bruyne collects a pass from Silva just outside the box and lets fly, unleashing an effort with more curl on it than a Roberto Carlos free kick! It's an unstoppable strike that leaves Pyatov standing! What a way to open your account for the season!

City have made an ideal start to the second period and continue to push and prod in the final third. Shakhtar will feel hard done by after setting out such a tight stall in the first half, only to fall behind to a goal they could do nothing about.

SUBSTITUTION: Man City make their first change of the evening, throwing on Sterling for Jesus. Presumably Sterling will play in a wider position with Aguero spearheading the attack as an out-and-out striker.

GREAT SAVE! City continue to lead the way on clear-cut chances, and this one almost equalled their all-time goals record. The ball falls kindly for Aguero in front of goal and the Argentine hits it with a sweet half-volley, forcing Pyatov into a save a point-blank range. Excellent goalkeeping from the Ukrainian veteran.

De Bruyne is a man on fire. Don't believe me? Check out this stat...



Shakhtar have so far struggled to gain a foothold in this second half, but they almost conjured something up through Bernard just now. Good play from the Brazilian down the left leaves Stones for dead and allows him to play a lofted pass into the area, but there are no takers.

BOOKING! Ordets gets the first yellow card of the match for going in hard on Silva. In all fairness, the booking was a little harsh. It was a 50/50 challenge that could really have gone either way. City win a free kick in a dangerous position but fail to make anything of it.

Shakhtar almost hit City on the break as Taison uses his pace to leave the City defence behind. The Brazilian powers towards the byline and plays a cross in behind the Sky Blues defence, but it just fails to reach an unmarked Ferreyra at the back post.

MISS! Great work by De Bruyne carves out a golden opportunity for Sterling in front of goal, but the England international misses the target from just yards out. What a sitter!

PENALTY TO CITY! The hosts win a penalty after Sane draws a foul from Ordets in the box. The Shakhtar defender is lucky to stay on the pitch, having already been booked. This gives Aguero the chance to equal City's 77-year goalscoring record...

PENALTY MISSED! It is indeed Aguero who steps up, but the Argentine shows some hesitancy while picking his spot. He goes for placement over power, but Pyatov guesses correctly and saves to his right. That goals record remains intact for now!

There's a break in play as Taison goes down injured. The Brazilian looks in some discomfort and players from both sides rush to his aid. It looks like his hamstring. I'm not sure if he will be seeing out the 90 minutes.

PENALTY SHOUT! A refereeing decision goes against the visitors as John Stones appears to use his hand to block a shot on the goal-line. That's a real let-off for the home side, who are denied a penalty themselves moments later when Sane is felled in the box.

SUBSTITUTION: Ilkay Gundogan replaces David Silva for Manchester City. Shakhtar have also made a change, with Marlos replaced by Dentinho.

SUBSTITUTION: Augero won't be breaking any goalscoring records tonight as he's just been replaced by Bernardo Silva. That penalty miss was one to forget for the Argentine, but his overall contribution this evening has been satisfactory.

CHANCE! Sane charges along the left flank, cuts inside the area and chooses to go it alone. The Frenchman, though, takes one too many touches before pulling the trigger, allowing Pyatov to position himself and soak up the shot.

GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (Raheem Sterling)

City leave it late to kill the match off but it's no less than what they deserve. Substitute Raheem Sterling is the man who settles it, rifling home Bernardo Silva's pull-back to make it 2-0, his close-range shot going in off the bar.

There will be four minutes of stoppage time to play.

FULL TIME: Manchester City 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk

City made a shaky start to the match, looking second best at times in the first half, but a 2-0 win is no less than what they deserve after that barnstorming second-half performance. Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling settled it in the end.

The other key talking point from tonight was Sergio Aguero's missed penalty. Had that gone in, the Argentine would have equalled the club's all-time scoring record, which has stood for 77 years.

Nevertheless, it was a positive night for anyone in the blue half of Manchester since the Citizens have won their first two Champions League group fixtures for the first time in their history. That puts them at the top of Group F on six points after two matches.

And that's all we have time for at the Etihad, but stick with Sports Mole for all the fallout from tonight's Champions League fixtures. Many thanks for reading!

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Gabriel Jesus celebrates the third with Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling during the Premier League game between Watford and Manchester City on September 16, 2017
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