Boyata 59

(Manchester City won 3-0 on aggregate)

Big-spending Manchester City breezed into the Europa League group stages with a facile win at a half-empty City of Manchester Stadium.

Roberto Mancini’s strong selection took a while to find their form. But once they got out of first gear, they could and should have had more goals against plucky but limited Romanian opponents.

Timisoara keeper Costel Pantilimon had to wait 37 minutes to make a save, although his team-mates had left his City counterpart Joe Hart equally untroubled.

But his concentration was 100% as he tipped over a firm header from City’s Brazilian striker Jo.

Six minutes later City opened the scoring, Shaun Wright-Phillips neatly converting Patrick Viera’s well-weighted through ball with a right-foot shot across Pantilimon.

Micah Richards’ header was cleared off the line and Emanuel Adebayor shot narrowly wide before the interval.

Teenage Belgian defender Dedryck Boyata doubled City’s advantage just short of the hour mark, heading home David Silva’s deep inswinging cross from the right unchallenged at the far post.

The floodgates threatened to open as the increasingly influential Silva started to control matters.

Adebayor, Jo and Silva himself had chances in quick succession immediately following Boyata’s goal. But only Silva forced a save from Pantilimon.