Goals from Rabbi Matondo and Ed Francis sealed a deserved three points.
What happened?
City were far from their best in the first period, but they dominated possession and moved the ball more freely than the home side.
Indeed, the Blues had the best early chance when Brahim Diaz slipped a ball through to Matondo inside the area, but Ramon Ten Hove was quick off his line to smother his effort. It was a smart save from the young Dutchman, who impressed throughout.
Daniel Grimshaw produced a show-stopping point-blank save from Joel Zwarts’ header and Alex Bangura hit one wide from distance as Feyenoord began to assert some control.
But City went ahead after Benjamin Garre’s cross deflected into the path of Matondo, who finished neatly past Ten Hove from inside the area.
Matondo had a close-range effort blocked inside the six-yard box as City pressed for a second, but moments later they were almost pegged back when Cheick Toure’s shot whistled just past Grimshaw’s post.
Two minutes into the second-half and Feyenoord were almost level. Jordy Wehrmann’s header was brilliantly cleared off the line by Francis who anticipated the danger superbly, and from there City grew into the game and began to dominate.
Ten Hove denied Diaz with a smart save after fine work from Demeco Duhaney down the right to keep his side in it, but with 20 minutes remaining City doubled their lead.
Diaz’s mazy run saw him upended just outside the box and Francis’ free-kick was deflected in past the helpless Ten Hove.
Ten Hove made late saves from Phil Foden and substitute Taylor Richards as City cruised to three points on Matchday 1 of their UEFA Youth League campaign.
Lineup
Simon Davies picked a strong side, with both Foden and Diaz starting the game at the Woudestein.
Grimshaw kept his place in goal after a fine display against Liverpool on Sunday, with Francis and Joel Latibeaudiere in front of him. Duhaney and Tyreke Wilson were charged with getting forward from full-back.
There was both silk and steel in the midfield three of Matt Smith, Jacob Davenport and Foden, and in attack, Garre and Matondo supported central striker Diaz.
Man of the Match
With a goal-line clearance and a goal, Francis tops the list, but Davenport’s industry and Diaz’s artistry both deserve a special mention.
What’s next?
City welcome Sunderland to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday as they look to kick-start their Premier League 2 campaign.
Their next UEFA Youth League date is a home game against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday 26 September.
