Manchester City have recorded a 3-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen to get their Champions League campaign off to a winning start.
After a goalless opening 45 minutes, City took the lead shortly after the break when Edin Dzeko converted the ball from 12 yards after being played in by Sergio Aguero.
Yaya Toure soon doubled his side's lead with a stunning effort from 30 yards, before Aguero rounded things off shortly before the hour.
Read below to see how the action unfolded in the Doosan Arena.
Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's coverage of the Champions League clash between Viktoria Plzen and Manchester City.
Well here we go again with a new season of Champions League football. As always, all of the giants of Europe are fighting to lift the trophy next May while some of the minnows are simply looking to secure memories that will last them a generation.
That's the case with our two teams this evening. Manchester City have struggled in the past two years in this competition but they possess some of the best players in the world in their squad. As for Viktoria Plzen, they are making a rare appearance at this stage in the competition and will be eager to put on a good show in front of their home crowd.
The Manchester City team news is in from the Czech Republic, and there's some exciting news for the club's supporters...
MANCHESTER CITY XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Kolarov; Navas, Toure, Fernandinho, Nasri; Aguero, Dzeko
MANCHESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Pantilimon, Lescott, Milner, Garcia, Rodwell, Negredo, Jovetic
I'm sure that you don't need me to point out that the exciting news is the return of club captain Vincent Kompany. The Belgian defender has been missing for City since picking up a groin injury during the opening Premier League match of the season.
The other main talking point is in attack, with Manuel Pellegrini opting to go with the partnership of Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero. Interesting choice to leave his two big summer signings - Alvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic - on the bench, but I'm sure that they will make an appearance during the game.
The other two teams in this group are Bayern Munich and CSKA Moscow. They are meeting in Germany, and if you wish to follow that match, you can do so by clicking here.
As I alluded to earlier, this is City's third attempt at trying to progress past the group stage of the competition. The last two have ended in failure, but in all fairness, they have been drawn into a couple of stinkers over the past two years.
For the 2011-12 season, they were drawn alongside Bayern Munich, Napoli and Villarreal, which isn't the easiest of introductions to Europe's elite tournament. They fared solid enough at home, but defeats in Germany and Italy meant that they missed out on qualification by a point.
Just when City didn't think that it could get any worse the following season, it did. Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Ajax stood in their way, and after falling to a last-minute defeat to Madrid in Spain, they never recovered and went on to record just three points from their six games.
For any Plzen fans out there, don't worry, we will have your team news shortly.
VIKTORIA PLZEN XI: Kozacik, Hejda, Limbersky, Prochazka, Rajtoral, Horava, Horvath, Petrzela, Kovarik, Kolar, Bakos
For anyone who thinks that this should be a walk in the park for Manchester City, think again. Plzen are unbeaten in 14 games this season, while they enjoyed a superb run in the Europa League last season, topping a group including Atletico Madrid! They also beat Napoli 5-0 on aggregate, before losing out to Fenerbahce. This could be a competitive one...
We are just under 20 minutes away from kickoff in the Doosan Arena. Who do you have coming out on top?
PREDICTION! I expect City to win this game, but I don't think that they will have it all their own way. Plzen will be eager to get the crowd into the game with a strong start, but once City get on the ball, they should be able to display the class needed to register three points. 3-1 to Manchester City, with Alvaro Negredo having an impact from the bench.
Manuel Pellegrini has a decent record in Europe with his previous clubs. He took Villarreal to the semi-finals in 2006 before they lost out to Arsenal, while they bowed out in the last eight in the following season. He also looked to be taking Malaga to the semi-finals last season before Borussia Dortmund netted twice in the final minutes to claim their spot in the last four.
One quick note on the Doosan Arena. It only has a capacity of 11,700, which is very small for a European venue. Nevertheless, the place should be rocking in just a few minutes time.
The Plzen supporters are flying plenty of flags in the Doosan Arena!
Here come the two sides, who will now take-in the traditional Champions League anthem. We will be underway shortly!
It's Plzen who will kick-off proceedings. Game on!
Lively start from the hosts, who immediately have Man City on the back foot. They have a free-kick 45 yards out, but it's well headed out by Vincent Kompany.
Some good work down the City right sees Jesus Navas whip a cross into the near post, but Edin Dzeko can do nothing with the ball and it goes out for a goal-kick.
Bayern Munich have wasted no time in taking the lead in the other game in this group. David Alaba the scorer.
SHOT! Sergio Aguero is being given the opportunity to run at the Plzen defence, and the ball eventually falls to Navas, who sees his stinging shot tipped over the bar.
That chance has encouraged City, and after winning a corner, Dzeko heads over from Samir Nasri's floated delivery. Good start from the English side.
Nastasic brings down a Plzen player in the centre circle, but the Czech outfit can't make the most of the free-kick, and the assistant awards an offside.
This is better from City, who take their time in spraying the ball around their defence, but they quickly lose the ball when the ball arrives at Aguero's feet. 15 minutes have gone, and it is fair to say that is has been pretty even.
BOOKING! The first booking of the evening has been given to Kolarov, who handled the ball on the touchline. There wasn't much distance between him and the opposing player, but he did lead with his arm.
Copenhagen have taken the lead against Juventus. The Danish side have been awful this season, so that's a major surprise.
Kolarov is walking a very tight line! He was a tad unfortunate because he didn't see the player when going for the ball, but that could have easily been a second yellow card. The resulting free-kick is parried by Joe Hart, and City eventually clear.
CHANCE! What an opportunity! Edin Dzeko, how have you missed that. Kolarov plays in the perfect cross for the Bosnian, who heads the ball straight at Kozacik from three yards.
WOODWORK! So close from Aguero, who hits the post with a low drive from 20 yards. The ball rebounded to Kolarov, but his first-time effort was straight at Kozacik.
BOOKING! Fernandinho is the next City man to go into the book. He lost the ball in the centre of the pitch, before hauling down Petrzela.
Super play from Nasri, who ghosts past about four Plzen players before being brought down. No foul though. Moments later, he plays in Zabaleta, but his attempted cross is blocked.
That's a tad ambitious from Horvath. The ball fell nicely for him about 40 yards from goal, but he was never going to beat Joe Hsrt from there, the ball eventually bouncing into the goalkeeper's grasp.
Great teamwork between Dzeko, Aguero and Navas, but the Spaniard can't get his shot away and is dispossessed by the defender. Just under 10 minutes to go until the break.
BOOKING! Diving has been the hot topic recently, and it raises its ugly head here. Limbersky tries to buy a foul out of Kompany, but the Belgian is wise to it, and the Plzen player is left looking rather silly.
City are pushing extremely hard as we approach the half-time whistle. Yaya Toure is making several trademark runs from midfield, and he helps create a chance for Aguero, but his shot is easily saved.
There will be one minute of added-on time.
HALF TIME: Viktoria Plzen 0-0 Manchester City
There hasn't been any goals, but that was a decent 45 minutes of football. City have had the better opportunities, but Plzen has shown enough to indicate that they will prove a tough nut to crack in the second half.
The shots count tells us that City have had 10 to Plzen's one, but it has been much closer than that. The Czech outfit's final ball has been lacking, but they do have plenty of quality coming forward.
The players are back out for the second half. I would imagine that Pellegrini would consider making a change unless his side make a fast start after the break. We are underway.
GOAL! Viktoria Plzen 0-1 Manchester City (Dzeko)
Boy, did City need that. They broke through Aguero, who muscled his way past the defender leaving a 2-on-1 situation at the back. He kept his composure to roll the ball to Dzeko, who placed the ball past the goalkeeper from 12 yards.
The visitors are peppering the Plzen goal now, mainly through Dzeko. He has two opportunities in front of goal, but both times, he blazes the ball over. Up the other end, Plzen break and Kovarik has a shot blocked by Zabaleta.
GOAL! Viktoria Plzen 0-2 Manchester City (Toure)
Oh my. Yaya Toure has just scored an absolute peach. He took his time lining up the shot, but when he struck it, wow. The ball curled into the top corner from about 30 yards, which the goalkeeper could only admire. Breathtaking.
You could write an endless list of superlatives for that goal, and you still wouldn't do it justice.
GOAL! Viktoria Plzen 0-3 Manchester City (Aguero)
City are rampant in the Czech Republic! It's Aguero's turn to get in on the act, rolling the defender inside the penalty area before curling the ball into the bottom corner. Game over.
SUBSTITUTION! Plzen attempt to do something to save this match by bringing on Duris in place of Kolar. It's all too little, too late though. City are in full control.
To be fair to the home crowd, they are still getting behind their side as it the game is level. The City fans all in full voice too, and understandably so.
City win a free-kick just outside of the penalty area. There are a number of people who could take this...
Toure steps up, but he can only whip it a couple of yards over the crossbar. Pellegrini takes the opportunity to make his first change of the night, bringing on James Milner for Jesus Navas.
Just 20 minutes remaining in the Doosan Arena. The result is all but confirmed, but Pellegrini will be keen for his side to end the game strongly.
Yaya Toure, who is a strong candidate to be named man of the match, is continuing to press forward, but on this occasion, he is dispossessed in the penalty area.
Just 15 minutes to go now. I'm sure a couple of City changes are just around the corner, maybe Jovetic as he continues his way back to full fitness.
Some of the ball retention from City has been superb this evening. It's been a performance that they needed to produce to send a message out to the rest of Europe.
SUBSTITUTION! City make their second alteration, but it's not Jovetic. Javi Garcia is being brought on to replace Yaya Toure.
SUBSTITUTION! Negredo looks ready to come on, so forget what I said about Jovetic. He will replace Dzeko.
The game is beginning to peter out now. Plzen are still attempting to push forward, but at the moment, City are closing them down efficiently.
EFFORT! Aguero nearly nets his second, and it would have been a stunner. The ball was fired into him, but he headed the ball into his path before firing a volley on goal which drew a fantastic stop from the goalkeeper.
City nearly net their fourth. Negredo broke quickly down the left, before crossing the ball to the back post for Aguero. He nicked in front of the defender, but he sent the ball over the bar. There will be two minutes of added-on time.
FULL TIME: Viktoria Plzen 0-3 Manchester City
The referee blows the final whistle, and City have produced an excellent display to start their Champions League campaign in perfect style.
Manuel Pellegrini will be delighted with how his side seized control of the match soon after the break, and once Toure had netted that stunning second, the result was never in doubt.
Credit should be given to Viktoria Plzen, who did compete well during the first 45 minutes, which suggested that they could have a part to play in this group. Much will depend on how they play against CSKA Moscow.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this match, but do stick around because plenty of reaction from the Doosan Arena will be appearing on the site over the next half hour or so. Thank you for joining us this evening, and we hope that you return for tomorrow's games. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
