Manchester City 2, Dinamo Zagreb 0
Manchester City’s supersubs finished off a gritty and organised Dinamo Zagreb side after the home side were held at bay for over an hour in their Champions League encounter.
Without Kevin De Bruyne, sidelined with a groin injury, City toiled against the Croats until Raheem Sterling was introduced.
The winger duly scored the opening goal before laying on a superb injury time goal for fellow sub Phil Foden after Gabriel Jesus set up Sterling for a final run at the tiring visitors.
City had been wayward with their shooting in the first half and were thwarted by poor shooting, final pass or a well timed block from the visitors.
They had four early chances – a brace each for Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero but the different weight Champions League balls foxed them.
Ilkay Gundogan hit the crossbar as City adjusted their sights and David Silva’s cutback was dummied by Riyad Mahrez into the path of the German while Aguero had the ball in the back of the Zagreb net but it was immediately ruled out for two accidental handballs by Bernardo Silva and the Argentine in the build up.
With both Benjamin Mendy and Joao Cancelo not having much chance to showcase their speed against a deep lying Zagreb defence there was no change of pace for City until Raheem Sterling came on in the second half.
Sterling was City’s game changer, moving the Zagreb defence more than they wanted to, creating space and opening up chances.
His big chance came when Rodri saw one of those open spaces, threaded in Riyad Mahrez and the Algerian’s cross from the left was perfect for the winger to dash onto and slam into the roof of the net from 6 yards out to break the deadlock.
And Sterling returned the favour when he found Mahrez but his flick was acrobatically saved by Dominik Livakovic before City ran in a deserved second goal 5 minutes into added time after Phil Foden coolly finished off a break started by Gabriel Jesus before Raheem Sterling raced upfield and crossed for the youngster to finish Zagreb off deep into injury time.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 2, Dinamo Zagreb 0
Ederson: 7. Assured at the back. Little to do.
Joao Cancelo: 7. Some decent skill, getting past his man occasionally but little sign of his pace against the deep lying defence.
Nicolas Otamendi: 7. Little to do against a powderpuff Zagreb attack but some good interceptions and tackles.
Fernandinho: 7. Inadvertently create a scoring opportunity for Sergio Aguero when his pass deflected to the Argentine. Intelligent interceptions at the back saved City from a 2v2 situation early in the second half.
Benjamin Mendy: 6. Poor crosses into the area from the defender only recently back from injury not much show of his famed acceleration either.
Rodri: 6. Winded by earlier aerial foul. Couldn’t raise the tempo quickly enough when City won the ball and was sloppy himself at times.
Ilkay Gundogan: 7. Hit the crossbar and his sweeping cross was fumbled by Dominik Livakovic but Sergio Aguero couldn’t profit, he didn’t produce enough quality into the box.
David Silva: 6. Tried to find spaces in the packed midfield his passing was off on the night, his shooting not much better.
Riyad Mahrez: 7. Short of ideas against a packed Zabgreb defence until the arrival of Raheem Sterling gave him options and he found his man in the second half. His cheeky flick at the end deserved a goal after Raheem Sterling found him but Dominik Livakovic kept Zagreb in the game with a great save.
Bernardo Silva: 6. Two decent early chances to take the lead with long range efforts.
Sergio Aguero: 6. Created chances but didn’t have his day in front of goal.
Raheem Sterling (for Bernardo Silva, 56): 8. Introduced that turn of pace and movement City were looking for. Went close before converting a Mahrez cross from the left into the roof of the net from 6 yards out. Denied a penalty after going down following a Petar Stojanovic challenge as he went into the box. Tried to return the favour to Riyad Mahrez but his shot was saved.
Gabriel Jesus ( for Sergio Aguero, 88): Too late to mark.
Phil Foden (for David Silva, 90+1): Too late to mark. Scored a great goal to end the Zagreb resistance.
GOALS – Manchester City 2, Dinamo Zagreb 0
Man City 1, GNK Dinamo: 66. Raheem Sterling broke the deadlock, converting Riyad Mahrez’ square ball across the area into the roof of the net after Rodri finally found a decent pass through the heart of the Zagreb box.
Man City 2, GNK Dinamo 0: 90+5. Phil Foden coolly finished from 15 yards out after Gabriel Jesus had released Raheem Sterling who slide the ball across the area after City made one final break #mcfc #dinamozagreb
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 2, Dinamo Zagreb 0
Man City: Ederson, Cancelo, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Mendy, Rodri, Gundogan, David Silva (Foden 90+1), Mahrez, Bernardo Silva (Sterling 56), Aguero (Jesus 88)
Man City Subs not used: Bravo, Walker, Angelino, Garcia
Bookings: Cancelo 18 (foul on Dani Olmo), Fernandinho 90+4
Coach Booking: Guardiola 72 (arguing vociferously with the 4th official Kevin Blom after Raheem Sterling was brought down by Petar Stojanovic)
Goals: Sterling 66, Foden 90+5
GNK Dinamo: Livakovic, Stojanovic, Theophile-Catherine (Gavranovic 76), Dilaver, Peric, Leovac, Ademi, Moro, Dani Olmo, Orsic (Gojak 61), Petkovic (Atiemwen 83)
GNK Dinamo Subs: not used Zagorac, Pinto, Situm, Kadzior
Booking: Peric 68 (sliding in on Riyad Mahrez)
Coach Booking: 90+6. Nenad Bjellca booked for dissent after Phil Foden’s goal
Referee: Serdar Gozubuyuk