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Sporting Kansas
Pre-season Friendlies
Jul 24, 2014 at 2am UK
 
Manchester City logo

1-4

Sapong (30')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Zuculini (2'), Boyata (45'), Kolarov (72'), Iheanacho (88')

Live Commentary: Sporting Kansas City 1-4 Manchester City - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live commentary of Manchester City's pre-season visit to Sporting Kansas City.
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Manchester City have run out 4-1 winners over Sporting Kansas City on Thursday morning.

Bruno Zuccilini wasted no time when he struck the opener inside the first two minutes, but CJ Sapong equalised for the home side.

Dedryck Boyata restored City's lead moments before half time and Ihenacho Kelechi scored late on after Aleksandar Kolarov had netted a second-half penalty.

See how the action unfolded below.


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That's all from me, I hope you enjoyed the commentary. Until next time, bye for now.

Well, it may have looked harsh, but City took apart Sporting's second string in the second period there. Manuel Pellegrini will be happy with how his charges performed, and the performance of Kelechi will have given him plenty to think about ahead of a long campaign this coming season.

FULL TIME: Sporting Kansas City 1-4 Manchester City

The scoreline is probably an unfair reflection on Sporting KC, but City have taken their chances when they have been presented to them.

Navas teases two defenders before sliding in Kelechi on the edge of the box and the teenager simply side foots it into the bottom corner. Lovely finish and really deserved to cap off an eye-catching display!

GOAL! Kansas 1-4 Manchester 4 (Ihenacho Kelechi)

Guidetti holds off a challenge on the left before cutting inside and finding Kelechi but his shot flies way over the bar. The 17-year-old looks a talent though. He won't be able to compete on the rest of the US tour due to visa issues, which is a shame for him. One to keep an eye possibly.

Bieler darts into space from a throw in and the striker is unmarked before he is closed out by Caballero. The goalkeeper had to be alert there, but forward tried to get his shot in from a tight angle.

Chance falls to Guidetti and he almost loses his man inside the box with a nice dummy but the defending is tenacious and the striker's effort is blocked. He had Navas to his right there too.

Jesus Navas with a typically direct run almost finds Kelechi and it eventually does after the youngster wins possession back from the centre, but he can't quite gett he shot off.

SUB: Emyr Huws is on for Zucculini as Nastasic comes on for Rekik in a double swap.

No question about the decision. Sinclair raced away from Kefari and the substitute clipped him as he bore down on goal. Kolarov makes no mistake with a confidently side-footed effort, 3-1 to City.

GOAL! Kansas 1-3 Manchester City (Aleksandar Kolarov)

PENALTY TO MANCHESTER CITY

Kolarov plays in a dangerous-looking low cross but Guidetti can't reach it, despite drifting offside in the build-up.

CHANCE! Almost 2-2 after Zizzo's cross finds Kafari, but Caballero is alert to thwart him at the near post. Good concentration levels from the stopper.

SUB: John Guidetti is on in place of Jovetic.

SUB: Javi Garcia comes on for Fernando.

A free kick straight from the training ground nearly works but the reverse pass only succeeds in winning a corner after good tracking from a Manchester City runner. The resulting corner comes to Jimmy Medranda after he wins it from Navas, but his low cross can;t find anyone. He could've perhaps shot himself there.

Not a lot happening at the moment, but there is still plenty of tempo to both sides' approach. Kansas are seeing more of the ball at the moment, but it is all in front of City's midfield.

CHANCE! Bieler escapes his marker and sends a diving header just wide of the post. Good opening for the Sporting KC!

No, third time lucky, Clichy has replaced Micah Richards, so Ihenacho Kelechi is still on and the youngster really does look a talent. He's just fired one in from distance which flew just wide.

CHANCE! Jovetic gives Kempin his first save with a powerful effort from a tight angle. It hasn't been the forward's night so far...

Kansas: Kempin; Peterson, Palmer-Brown, Ellis, Munoz; Claros, Kafari, Medranda; Zizzo, Bieler, Dovale

My mistake, Kolarov is still out there. He has gone left wing in place of Kelechi it would seem.

KICK OFF A completely different XI for Kansas, while Gael Clichy has replaced Aleksandar Kolarov for City.

Fortunately, my dour 1-0 prediction has gone out the window, so we'll be hoping for me of the same this second half. Dom Dwyer enjoyed a spritely first half, so it would be a shame to see him depart.



Kansas are likely to be ringing the changes for the second period, although Pellegrini is likely to do the same for different reasons. There have been good performances in the City side though. Particularly Ihenacho Kelechi.

One of the most entertaining halves of pre-season you're likely to see. Possibly explained by Kansas' season is already up and running. City have looked slick, but so have the MLS side in parts. Entertaining stuff!

HALF TIME: Sporting Kansas City 1-2 Manchester City

And from the resulting free kick, Boyata powerfully heads home after beating Collin in the air. Great power from the City defender.

GOAL! Kansas 1-2 Manchester City (Boyata)

Jesus Navas skips away from Sinovic and the defender cynically puts his arm around the Spaniard and duly goes in the book.

CHANCE! Another set piece causes problems for City and Besler knocks Lopez's cross back across goal but Collin can't quite get there before Caballero.

Immense defending from Collin. Jovetic looks for all the world like he's about to make it 2-1 after he raced onto a through ball but as the striker waits for it to drop, the defender steams in and makes the challenge. Superb play form the Kansas man.

Jesus Navas drifts inside before feeding Jovetic and after a neat twist the Montenegrin goes down looking for a foul. There's nothing doing though and he is told the get up by the official. Correct decision.

Sporting Kansas City have not been overawed by their opponents this evening. City have moved through the gears up top a number of occasions to threaten, but the MLS side are comfortable in possession and have several technically good players on display.

A simple goal for the home side as Feilhaber's cross to the back post is gathered by Sapong on his knee and he stops and slots it past Caballero into the corner. Kolarov had gone to sleep. One apiece!

GOAL! Kansas 1-1 Manchester City (CJ Sapong)

CHANCE! Dwyer's free kick hits the but Sinovic catches it sweetly and it flashes narrowly over the bar. He really caught that well.

Free kick to Kansas on the edge of the box after Zucilini handled it...

Kansas' set-pieces are causing City trouble so far and another has just been headed by Collin. It was too high though and Caballero gathered as it dropped just wide of the goal.

Jesus Navas' corner is met by Richards, but the defender's header couldn't generate enough power to trouble the goalkeeper.

Dwyer receives it from a wide left position and he dips it back on to his trusted left footbefore firing just over. It looked as though Caballero had it covered somewhat though. Dwyer looks the most likely to make something happen for the home side so far.

A long-range shot from Stevan Jovetic forces Gruenebaum into a routine stop before Kelechi tries his luck from a similar range and this time the stopper tips over for corner. Shots raining down from all angles currently...

WHAT A SAVE! Superb stop from Gruenebaum to deny Kelechi. It was incisive breakaway and the Nigerian had two teammates in space but he opted to curl it on the edge of the box and it was expertly tipped around the post by the stopper. This game hasn't paused.

CHANCE! Sinclair profits from a mistake at the back but the forward can only drag his shot wide of the goal with his weaker left. It was just a long punt that wasn't dealt with that led to him getting clear then.

Dwyer skips past Richards wide left with some lovely footwork, and he eventually wins a corner after Boyata storms over to concede the set piece. The delivery is fizzed in but a Kansas head can only head it well wide.

Dwyer heads it at goal and it is saved before he converts the rebound but it is disallowed. He had strayed offside. Marginal, but the correct decision. Really really good start here though. How long can these sides keep this up for? We could be in for a interesting night!

Dom Dwyer wins a free kick after a nice backheel to escape two challenges. He is upended by Fernando. Good position for the MLS side, around 30 yards out...

Jesus Navas swings a trademark cross in from the wide right but it is well cut out. City looking sharp in the early going here though. Micah Richards has been given license to get forward at every opportunity it appears.

A long throw from Kansas nearly catches everyone out but Caballero gathers comfortably. Lively start to this one!

Well what a start that is! It came to Zucilini on the edge of the box after some neat approach player and he's rifled it in off the post with a sweetly struck effort.

GOAL! Kansas 0-1 Manchester City (Bruno Zuculini)

KICK OFF And we're off here...



Well, my apologies, it would appear there will be a delay to kick off. I think we're getting underway around 2:30am.

UPDATE: Palace are now leading Columbus Crew 2-1.

UPDATE: Liverpool are currently goalless with Roma, while Spurs beat Toronto 3-2. Crystal Palace are 1-1 with Columbus Crew.

We're just experiencing a slight delay to proceedings here. We'll be and running in the next few minutes I would imagine. These are the hazards of pre-season games...

PREDICTION: We're less than 10 minutes away from kick off here, so let's get a prediction...I'd suggest that City would normally cruise to victory, but with the slow tempo that often blights pre-season, I'm going to say 1-0 to Pellegrini's men. We shall see...



This game of course marks the beginning of City's tour of the United States, and Pellegrini's side meet AC Milan, Liverpool and Olympiacos in the International Champions Cup over the coming days.



The Chilean coach did however reveal that his spending was not yet done. He said: "I don't think the squad is complete yet but we have six weeks before the transfer window closes. Perhaps there is the option to bring one or more players in, or maybe one or two will leave our squad but there is time for us to consider what is best for our team."

"Alvaro had surgery [on Wednesday] on his broken foot and he will probably be out for two or three months," said the City boss. "It is a blow for us because Alvaro is a very important member of our squad so obviously we will miss him."

City of course without Alvaro Negredo this evening, with the Spanish striker suffering a broken metatarsal, and Pellegrini confirmed on Wednesday that his player could be set for a few months on the sidelines...

So new boys Willy Caballero and Fernando are given a run out by Manuel Pellegrini this evening, while forgotten man Scott Sinclair plays up top alongside Steven Jovetic.

Kansas: Gruenebaum; Juliao, Collin, Besler, Sinovic; Olum, Lopez, Feilhaber; Sapong, Dwyer, Saad

City: Caballero; Richards, Kolarov, Boyata, Rekik; Navas, Fernando, Zuculini, Kelechi; Sinclair, Jovetic

Team news is just reaching us here, so without further ado...

Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of Manchester City's pre-season friendly against Sporting Kansas City.

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Man City manager Manuel Pellegrini prior to kick-off against Tottenham on November 24, 2013
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