We’re at number seven on our countdown ahead of Sunday’s Capital One Cup final…
City 3 Sunderland 1, 2 March 2014
Manuel Pellegrini picked up his first trophy in charge of City after his side staged a second half comeback to lift the Capital One Cup at Wembley.
Fabio Borini gave Sunderland an early lead and it remained 1-0 until Yaya Toure’s superb strike ten minutes into the second half.
The comeback was complete just a minute later when Samir Nasri put City in front with a first time effort from the edge of the area before Jesus Navas secured the victory in the 90th minute.
The final whistle followed shortly after to confirm City’s first league cup triumph since 1976 and the good times would continue later that season with the Premier League trophy returning to the Etihad in May.
Match highlights
Starting XIs
City: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Demichelis, Kolarov, Nasri, Toure, Fernandinho, Silva (Garcia 77), Dzeko (Negredo 88), Aguero (Navas 58)
Unused subs: Hart, Lescott, Clichy, Milner.
Sunderland: Mannone, Bardsley, Brown, O’Shea (c), Alonso, Larsson (Gardner 60), Cattermole (Giaccherini 77), Sung-Yeung, Johnson (Fletcher 60), Colback, Borini
Unused subs: Ustari, Celustka, Vergini, Scocco.
Key Moments
9’ – Early save from Mannone to palm away Sergio Aguero’s low shot.
10’ – Goal – Sunderland take the lead after Borini fires in from a tight angle.
38’ – Wonderful tackle from Vincent Kompany to prevent Borini getting a shot away on goal.
51’ – Costel Pantilimon is aware to the danger as he tips over Ki Sung-Yeung’s stinging drive from range.
55’ – GOAL! – Yaya Toure draws City level with a magnificent strike from long range!
56’ – GOAL! – Two in two minutes for City as Nasri scores from the edge of the area!
90’ – GOAL! The victory is confirmed with Navas applying the finish following a City counter attack!
Man of the Match
Samir Nasri
Reaction
“Two second half goals in ninety seconds from Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri and a late third from Jesus Navas were enough to see off a gallant Sunderland side and give Manuel Pellegrini his first major silverware as a manager in Europe.
“Now the Blues will set their sights on adding the other two domestic trophies and staging a remarkable Champions League survival act whilst the Black Cats will concentrate on preserving their Premier League status.
“Both can feel relatively confident after this fine advert for the game with Sunderland’s perspiration eventually outdone by City’s inspiration.” Chris Bailey, Manchester City
“Manuel Pellegrini’s team had been trailing to driven, highly motivated opponents and looking conspicuously short of ideas when Yaya Touré, with a typically elegant swish of his right foot, curled a shot into the top corner of Vito Mannone’s net to announce the recovery process.
“It was one of the great Wembley goals since the new stadium took shape and what followed, off the outside of Samir Nasri’s boot, could easily fall into the same category.
“Pellegrini’s men had taken their time but that quick one-two, in the space of 105 seconds, completely changed the emphasis before the last, slightly cruel breakaway when Jesús Navas guaranteed the first piece of silverware this season was on its way to Manchester.” Daniel Taylor, Guardian
“It does help, when visiting Wembley as a fan, to have an I-was-there moment to retell through generations and Yaya Toure kindly provided one, with the goal that levelled the scores after 55 minutes. It was, he said, his finest, and there is fair competition in that category.” Martin Samuel, Daily Mail
“Manchester City fought off the ghosts of last year’s FA Cup final defeat, responding marvellously to Manuel Pellegrini’s quietly inspiring words at the interval to win the Capital One Cup with a second-half display of power going forward and precision in front of goal.” Henry Winter, Telegraph
“Two extraordinary goals, in an ordinary performance, set City’s Wembley world to rights as they lifted the first silverware of the season.
“For 55 minutes of this League Cup final, City had been forced to eat their bold words about wiping out the memory of their dire defeat by Wigan in the FA Cup final nine months ago - they had been pretty flat and uninspired.
“But Yaya Toure - always the man for the big occasion - conjured up a moment of nonchalant genius to equalise Fabio Borini’s early goal for the Black Cats.
“And with the weight of expectancy falling from their shoulders, the Blues struck again through Samir Nasri’s sweet drive within two minutes. They still had work to do as Sunderland sought to fight their way back into the game, but sub Jesus Navas fired in a late third to remove any doubts.” Stuart Brennan, Manchester Evening News
