Sergio Aguero sealed Manchester City's first win in the Champions League group stage with the final action of the match, coming from behind to record a 2-1 victory over Villarreal.
Cani had shocked the hosts by striking in the fourth minute, but a Carlos Marchena own goal just before half-time restored parity, before substitute Aguero snuck the winner.
Roberto Mancini kept Aguero on the bench, with the Argentine having only just recovered from a groin injury. Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov came into in the full-back positions with Micah Richards and Gael Clichy settling for being among the substitutes. Former Manchester United forward Giuseppe Rossi, meanwhile, started for the visitors against his old team’s fierce rivals.
City, needing a win, saw their plans go awry right from the start. Sloppy defending from the home side saw David Silva lose possession and Nigel de Jong offer limp resistance when the visitors pounced. Rossi’s shot was hit at Joe Hart but the keeper spilled it, allowing Cani to slot in an easy opener, as the Etihad Stadium fell silent.
The home side looked somewhat nervy after the shock start but sought an equaliser, with Kolarov curling a shot just wide from range. The Serbian was involved again a minute later when Yaya Toure freed him on the left. His well-worked cross came at an awkward angle for Samir Nasri in the box, though, and the Frenchman volleyed over.
Kolarov, in threatening mood, went on to test Diego Lopez with a free-kick, curling wickedly from far out and forcing the Villarreal stopper to push it over the bar.
City looked settled but the Spaniards were doing enough to soak up any serious pressure, leading Mancini to make a bold tactical decision and substitute the quiet Johnson after just 40 minutes and introducing Gareth Barry.
Almost instantly the Citizens’ fortune changed, Kolarov overlapping on the left and driving the ball in low across the box. Marchena stretched out to deny Dzeko but succeeded only in diverting it into his own net just before half-time.
mmediately after the break, City might have taken the lead as Dzeko and Toure both beat the offside trap to meet a pass, but the Bosnian striker’s shot was not as ruthless as it should have been and was denied well by Lopez.
Lone striker Rossi then began to find opportunities on the counter but, thoroughly unsupported, he was unable to do more than flash a shot into the side netting and then saw a deflected effort pushed away by Hart.
Mancini’s men pushed forward again, with Toure, playing further forward after Barry’s introduction, threading it through to Kolarov in the area, but the Serbian was offside and his thumping finish counted for nothing.
Villarreal had clearly adopted a more attacking mindset after the goal and measuredly committed more players forward, with Borja Valero and Cristian Zapata attempting shots from further out.
The half continued to be even in possession but the visitors were racking up many more attempts on goal than the side in sky blue as the final quarter of an hour arrived.
City fans thought they had found the elusive second goal when Kolarov smashed another free-kick in but his rocket shot only reached the side netting. Substitute Aguero then supplied Dzeko on the right of the area, but with the ball moving away from the net, he could only lift his effort over.
The Bosnian then missed an excellent chance, onside to meet a cross from the left with five minutes left, but headed wide as his fruitless evening continued.
City strived for a last-gasp winner in injury time, Kolarov's pass creating a scramble in the area that nobody could capitalise on, and Lopez then pulling off an important save from Zabaleta.
But suddenly, in the final seconds, Villarreal were broken. James Milner, fresh from the bench, squeezed a fine reverse pass through to Zabaleta, who crossed low into the box where several sky blue shirts awaited. It was Aguero who slid in to help the ball into the corner and deliver the victory City craved.
The result leaves City in third place at the halfway stage of the group, one point behind Napoli and three behind leaders Bayern Munich.
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