Silva lining for slick City
RED BULL SALZBURG (0) vs MANCHESTER CITY(2)
DAVID SILVA scored his first goal for Manchester City as Roberto Mancini’s men opened their Europa League campaign with a comfortable away win in Salzburg.
The Spanish international side-footed City’s opener after just eight minutes before striker
Jo pounced to complete a comfortable win.
And it proved a big night for City as their big Group A rivals Juventus were held 3-3 at home to Polish minnows Lech Poznan.
Salzburg were the only team to win all six group games in last year’s competition, but the Austrian champions were always second best to a City side looking to reward their big-spending chairman with silverware after missing out on a Champions League place.
Silva is yet to shine since his £26m move from Valencia, but opened his account when latching onto a cross from Wayne Bridge, making his first start of the season.
Carlos Tevez could, and probably should, have put City further ahead, but he created the second for Jo on 63 minutes after his 20-yard shot was parried by Gerhard Tremmel. It was the Brazilian’s first City goal since September 2008.
Defender Vincent Kompany said: “We look like a unit already but some stuff is down to luck. In three or four months we will be even stronger.”