UEFA Cup first round, first leg/ Manchester City 3; Lokeren 2: Manchester City's fans have waited 24 years to play in Europe and they made it perfectly clear to David Seaman how they felt about his fallibility putting it all in jeopardy last night with sarcastic applause every time he touched the ball without making a mistake.
A rout might have been expected when Antoine Sibierski gave City an early lead, curling an exquisite free-kick over Lokeren's defensive wall and into the top left hand corner of Mladen Dabanovic's net. Lokeren had barely ventured outside of their own half when, seven minutes later, they levelled after Patrick Zoundi set off in pursuit of a long punch from Dabanovic.
In fairness to Seaman, Sun Jihai's header back towards goal was hardly the most composed piece of defending but it did not excuse the former England goalkeeper's sluggishness in coming to meet the dropping ball. As Seaman dithered so Zoundi nipped in to dink his shot over the 40-year-old for a soft equaliser. Seaman's ignominy was not lessened when he spilled an easy shot for a corner before half-time and a reasonable argument could be made that he has now been at fault for six goals in his first eight appearances for the club.
As well as subduing the home fans, Seaman's aberration seemed to deflate his colleagues who subsequently struggled and then found themselves confronted by yet more embarrassment six minutes before half-time.
This time Seaman can be absolved of blame but Keegan will be entitled to have expected Sylvain Distin to cut out Ibrahima Conti's cross. The ball ran on for Runar Kristinsson to score with an emphatic first-time shot.
City continued to flounder until the 77th minute when Sun Jihai and Sibierski set up Robbie Fowler for a close-range finish. Then Jihai was involved decisively again in City's winner - being fouled by Michael van Hoey for the penalty which Nicolas Anelka converted.
MANCHESTER CITY: Seaman; Jihai, Sommeil, Distin, Tiatto (Dunne, 68); Sibierski, Reyna, Bosvelt (Wright-Phillips, 65), McManaman; Anelka, Fowler.
LOKEREN: Dabanovic; Conte, Zanzan, Doba, Muzinga, Van Hoey; Zoundi, Vidarsson, Gretarsson, De Beule; Kristinsson.
Referee: G Gilewski (Poland).
Guardian Service
