Football

Manchester City defeat Hamburg, but out of UEFA Cup

Digital76

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posted on 15 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Manchester City were without Craig Bellamy and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

New Delhi: A one-goal margin of victory wasn't enough for the Citizens.

Pre-match

Manchester City were without Craig Bellamy and Shaun Wright-Phillips on Thursday night as Mark Hughes' side welcomed Hamburg for the second leg of their UEFA Cup quarter-final.

Martin Jol made a few changes from the side that started against City in Hamburg, opting to play with Mladen Petric from the start, leaving Olic alone at the front, and Guerrero playing a withdrawn role behind him.

First half

Hamburg got the game underway shooting right to left, but the hosts pressured hard from the onset and a rare optimism from Robinho saw the Brazilian winger shouting for the ball and making dribbling runs up the left to put early pressure on the visitors.

Ivica Olic looked to be the first to test Shay Given with a shot from distance, but the Irishman was largely untroubled by the venomous strike as it zipped quickly past the post.

After 12 minutes, the deep-sitting Peruvian striker Guerrero found himself on the end of a flashing cross delivered by Petroipa. Petroipa's effort trundled under the legs of Vincent Kompany and easily past a helpless Given to give Hamburg the lead.

In an attempt to put his stamp on the game, Richard Dunne noisily overcompensated at the heart of City's defence, commiting foul after foul and finding himself in the ref's book with an early yellow card.

Not long after Guerrero's goal, Elano picked up the ball outside of Hamburg's box and tried to pick out any looming strikers in the area. Piotr Trochowski put himself in the way of the cross, but was ruled to have handled the ball in his efforts to snuff out the pass.

It was a harsh decision by the Italian referee, and one that would lead to Elano sinking the subsequent penalty and giving City a fresh start. The score went to 1-1.

Elano was truly on-song tonight, sending in balls from all angles throughout the both halves. Stephen Ireland picked up on one of Elano's crosses at the back post during the first half, but the young Irishman could only find the side netting.

Before the break, Elano was there again to stand over a free kick won by a crowded-out Robinho and hit the bar with the strike that followed. The Brazilian just would not stay down.

Just before the half time whistle was blown, Dunne was given his last warning by the referee. The man in black motioned to the City skipper than one more infraction would earn him an early shower after another foul on Trochowski.

Second half

Soon after the home side got the second half underway, Ecuadorian striker Felipe Caicedo earned his place in the starting XI by putting the hosts in the lead.

Caicedo received a short pass from Ireland on the edge of the Hamburg box before wrong-footing Jerome Boateng and finishing confidently past Frank Rost. It was now 2-1 to City.

After a bad start to the second half, Boateng caused his side further problems by conceding a free kick in Elano territory. The Brazilian stood over it once more, this time his effort rattling back off the post. The ball simply would not go in for him.

In spite of taking his first goal with supreme coolness, Caicedo was awarded a golden oppotunity 6 feet from goal after a corner by Elano. The big Ecuadorian couldn't find his feet fast enough to bury the ball, sending it over the bar and leaving the scoreline at 2-1. A real waste.

Mistakes are few and far between when it comes to Shay Given, but the Irish stopper almost found himself in the same league as Petr Cech after a heavy touch from a rudimentary back pass almost teed up Olic. However, a quick dig with his left peg sent the ball out to safety.

Mladen Petric was introduced to the Hamburg side, a player who performed well in the first leg, and one whom Martin Jol would hope to introduce a spark to his side who seemed to be suffering something of a slump in form.

Petric had an almost instant effect on the game, involving himself down the left flank. Richard Dunne dived in once again looking to take the sting out of the newly introduced player, but again went in late, and as a result, was dismissed from the pitch.

With a personnel disadvantage and no captain, City ought to have been dishevelled and demoralised, but they were not. Dunne's dismissal only sparked life into the hosts, and they pushed hard into the dying minutes to find a third goal.

Daniel Sturridge was brought on in the late stages of the game, and had a few decent shots on goal, but his addition was just not enough for Mark Hughes' side.

The game would end 2-1 to City, but Hamburg would be the ones to progress with a 4-3 aggregate win. Martin Jol's side look forward to facing Werder Bremen in the semi-finals.