UEFA CUP:Aalborg 2 Manchester City 0 (2-2 aet: City won 4-3 on penalties) - SHAY GIVEN warmed the hearts of City fans on a cold night in Denmark with two fine saves in a penalty shootout that finished 4-3 in favour of the English Premier side and sent them into the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup. However, they rode their luck at times after a dramatic last-minute penalty scored by Michael Jakobsen forced them into extra-time.
Lucky not to concede a second-half penalty, playing well within themselves and conceding a late goal claimed by Aalborg’s Luton Shelton, Mark Hughes’s side failed to convince yet again.
The Danes began conservatively, attempting to undo City on the counter-attack. Mark Hughes went with two holding midfielders in Pablo Zabaleta and the newly fit again Vincent Kompany repeatedly frustrated Aalborg.
However, Hughes’s men failed to force any early tempo and appeared content to protect their lead. When a Shelton effort very nearly caught Given out Hughes began pacing his technical area. As Robinho – a lacklustre participant in the warm-up stages of City’s training session here last night – rather feebly pulled out of a routine challenge the Welshman was heard to scream “Robi, Robi”. Zabaleta curled an effort narrowly wide as City, with Stephen Ireland looking comfortably the best individual on view, belatedly roused themselves a little.
The second half was notable for temperatures dropping to minus three but, happily, there was a marginal improvement in the excitement levels. Ched Evans saw a cute chip deflected for a corner before miscuing badly after being put through by a beautiful Ireland pass. Suitably inspired, the red booted Robinho promptly followed suit by providing Shaun Wright-Phillips with a similar delivery the latter proved unequal to.
At the other end, a Caca shot flew fractionally wide as Aalborg gradually began emerging from their shell. Indeed the Danes should really have been awarded a penalty following City substitute Javier Garrido’s high risk hacking down of Andreas Johansson.
Michael Beauchamp was then booked for diving in the face of a potential tackle by, of all people, Robinho before Given saved brilliantly from Shelton’s close range strike. Robinho shot against the underside of the bar after connecting with Ireland’s cut back but Shelton’s late shot, with a touch of hand ball, set up the tense finale to normal time. After an uneventful 30 minutes of extra time, the game went to penalties and goalkeeper Given spared City’s blushes by saving from Thomas Augustinussen and Shelton. - Guardian Service
AALBORG:Zaza, Bogelund, Lasse Nielsen, Jakobsen, Beauchamp, Due (Nomvethe 46), Johansson, Augustinussen, Caca (Kristensen 106), Risgaard (Tracy 77), Shelton. Subs not used: Kenneth Nielsen, Sorensen, Ronnie Nielsen, Dalsgaard. Booked: Risgaard, Beauchamp. Goals: Shelton 85, Jakobsen 90 pen.
MAN CITY:Given, Richards, Dunne, Onuoha, Bridge (Garrido 55), Wright-Phillips, Zabaleta, Kompany (Elano 107), Ireland, Robinho (Caicedo 96), Evans. Subs not used: Hart, Berti, Fernandes, Etuhu. Booked: Kompany, Wright-Phillips. Att:10,734.
Referee:Stephane Lannoy (France).
