Manchester City vs Sporting CP 0 − 0 (Champions League 2022 Goals & Highlights) | Download Mp4

Video 2 years ago

Download Manchester City vs Sporting CP 0 − 0 (Champions League 2022 Goals & Highlights)

Manchester City sauntered through to the Champions League quarter-finals as Wednesday's second leg against Sporting CP proved entirely academic, a 0-0 draw sealing a 5-0 aggregate win.

Armed with their handsome lead from the first leg in Portugal, City barely got out of first gear and nor did they need to.

Gabriel Jesus had a goal disallowed for a tight offside, and Riyad Mahrez saw a shot blocked as City went close to a late winner.

Even Scott Carson, the rarely seen reserve goalkeeper, got a run-out for the last 17 minutes, pulling off a fine save to deny Paulinho and taking a whack for his efforts.

Last season's runners-up are favourites with many to carry off the trophy this year and this was as much of a formality as Champions League knockout games come.

Sensibly, Pep Guardiola gave a rest to derby-day destroyers Kevin De Bruyne, on a yellow card, and Mahrez, benching both. This was no night for risk-taking, but still it was unlike City for it to reach the 24th minute before they registered a first shot at goal, Phil Foden's drive from 20 yards tipped behind by Antonio Adan.

Raheem Sterling was thwarted when he looked to dink over the goalkeeper after Foden's sharp pass found his England colleague, as City, who led 4-0 at half-time in the first leg, drew a blank in this opening 45 minutes.

Teenager CJ Egan-Riley was tidy at right-back on his Champions League debut, while Oleksandr Zinchenko featured on the opposite flank and was given a huge pre-match roar, the crowd firmly behind the Ukrainian amid the unfolding dire events in his homeland.

Wizardry from substitute Mahrez created an opening from Jesus to strike from a tight angle to the left of goal in the 47th minute. Cue joyful celebrations, but a VAR check showed the Brazilian was a shade offside.

In 2008-09, the only previous season during the Champions League era when Sporting reached the knockout rounds, they lost 5-0 at home to Bayern before being suffering a 7-1 beating in Munich.

They were at least spared such humiliation this time, with City going through the motions rather than for the jugular. Sporting's first shot came in the 57th minute, with Ederson gathering Bruno Tabata's attempt with no trouble.

Chances came and went as Sporting bowed out, John Stones heading over perhaps the best in stoppage time, while Sterling lashed wide with the last kick.