Pep Guardiola’s side were clear favourites for the match and
they displayed an incredible level of complete superiority over their hosts.
Sporting tailed off a little in the second half, but did
little wrong in the first despite already being four goals down, such was the
superb performance of the visitors.
The home side would have planned to keep it tight early on
against the Premier League champions, but that ploy was quickly out of the
window when Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring after just seven minutes.
Bernardo Silva doubled City’s lead with a really special
piece of technique 10 minutes later, left-footed on the half-volley from inside
the penalty box which the goalkeeper will barely have seen.
It was Phil Foden’s turn to find the back of the net on 32
minutes, finishing from close range after former Liverpool man Sebastian Coates
didn’t deal with a Mahrez cross. Bernardo Silva got his second shortly before
half-time thanks to a Raheem Sterling assist and a heavy deflection on his
effort.
Silva’s first goal may still have been the best goal of the
night, but Sterling did his best to take that award for himself when he scored
55 minutes in.
The England winger curled one into the top corner from 20
yards to follow up the superb hat-trick he scored against Norwich City in the
Premier League at the weekend.
It was an entirely one-sided contest, with Sporting barely
making an effort on Ederson’s goal and certainly not troubling the Brazilian
goalkeeper at any time.
The visiting side controlled possession from the off and
created chances at will in the first half, before taking their foot off the gas
a bit in the second period.
The return leg is at the Etihad on 9 March but there is no
hope of any sort of dramatic comeback for the Portuguese side and Guardiola may
field the likes of 19-year-old Liam Delap, who came on as a late substitute on
Tuesday night.
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