Champions League: Manchester City beat CSKA Moscow to reach knock-out stages

Manchester City beat CSKA Moscow 5-2 last night to move into the knock out stages of the UEFA Champions League.

Alvaro Negredo’s hat-trick ensured City’s place for the first time with a comfortable win over CSKA Moscow.

Sergio Aguero was the initial inspiration, scoring two and setting up another for Negredo as City scored three times inside the first half-hour to make it a straightforward night for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

Aguero’s early penalty was followed by a cool finish before a cross for strike partner Negredo effectively ended the contest.

Seydou Doumbia did pull a goal back for CSKA before the interval but the outstanding Samir Nasri set up Negredo’s second just after half-time to restore City’s three-goal advantage.

Doumbia scored again from the penalty spot on 71 minutes after he had been pulled back by Gael Clichy before Negredo headed home in the final seconds to cap a historic evening for Manuel Pellegrini’s men.

City were quickly into their stride as the same side that started Saturday’s 7-0 win over Norwich picked up where they left off, which meant Hart was on the bench again.

Less than two minutes had gone when David Silva tricked his way into the CSKA box and was brought down by former Manchester United winger Zoran Tosic, and Aguero became City’s highest scorer in European competition with 11 goals as he scored the penalty emphatically.

And the striker showed his quality again after 20 minutes, receiving Nasri’s pass before turning and scoring with a precise finish.

Any notion of a CSKA comeback was banished as the Argentine then turned creator to set up the third for Negredo with a perfect low cross that left the Spaniard with a simple finish.

The Russians showed some signs of life on half-time when they opened up City through the middle and Doumbia rounded Pantilimon to score.

City, who replaced Fernandinho with Milner at half-time, responded six minutes after the restart when Yaya Toure’s lofted pass into the area found Nasri, who unselfishly knocked the ball across the face of an open goal for Negredo to score with ease once again.

The only blot on City’s display had been some defensive carelessness that might have received greater punishment against better opponents.

But as the result of the Plzen-Bayern game went their way, with the German side winning 1-0, Negredo rounded off a highly-satisfactory night for City when he headed in from Milner’s delivery.