Dortmund had taken an early lead on nine minutes, but a Jo equaliser a couple of minutes later and a Joe Hart penalty save ensured the sides went in level at the break.
The hosts struck twice more in the second half were when the Blues’ numerous substitutions finally took their toll, but this was a more than useful work-out for the visitors.
City walked out into something of a monsoon as the heavens opened just prior to kick-off.
While the packed Kop behind one goal sang ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, the 500 or so City fans tucked away in the opposite corner of the stadium responded by bellowing out Blue Moon as a riposte.
On the pitch, Hart got the nod ahead of Shay Given to start the match in goal, while Aleksandar Kolarov made his first appearance since joining from Lazio just over a week ago.
Vincent Kompany partnered Kolo Toure in defence and with just 10 days to go before the start of the new season, it will be interesting to see who starts the new campaign as the chosen centre-back pairing
...David Clayton
Though Dortmund averaged 77,000 last season, there were only 31,200 in the stadium, but both sets of fans soon had something to shout about with two goals in quick succession.
The hosts drew first blood when Gareth Barry was adjudged to have brought down Shinji Kagawa inside the box and Lucas Barrios calmly stroked home the penalty – though Hart went the right way.
Then, two minutes later, Shaun Wright-Phillips burst down the right before whipping in a low drive that Jo Silva scrambled home via a fumble by Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller.
City could have gone ahead after a combination of Wright-Phillips and Adebayor set Jo up again, but this time Weidenfeller was equal to the Brazilian’s low drive.
With the Blues in the ascendancy, referee Guido Winkmann awarded his second questionable spot-kick of the evening on the stroke of half-time. Kolarov was penalised for a push – it was a harsh at best – and Barrios took on Hart for a second time.
This time, however, Hart emerged the winner as Barrios repeated his routine of a staggered run up before planting a low drive to the bottom right-hand corner. Hart remained still until the last possible moment before guessing correctly and making a superb save.
That was the last action of a decent first 45 for the Blues – and Hart’s too, with Given taking over after the break – the first of many substitutions by City.
Dortmund started the second half brightly and were soon 2-1 up when Kagawa found space and time in the box to place the ball past Given on 49 minutes and despite a couple of openings for City, Robert Lewandowski sealed the victory for the Germans on 81 minutes.
City: Hart (Given 46), Richards (Zabaleta 46), Kolarov, K Toure, Kompany, Barry (Ireland 58), Wright-Phillips (Bellamy 65), Y Toure (Lescott 58), Jo, Adebayor (Santa Cruz 46), A Johnson (Bridge 58). Att: 31,200
