Pre match: Mark Hughes named exactly the same XI that started the first leg in Denmark, which meant that SWP for the ineligible Nigel de Jong was the only change from Sunday’s draw at Anfield.

The Match

A tea-time downpour did not dampen the spirits of the visiting fans, and their enthusiasm at kick-off ensured a good atmosphere inside the ground. The rain also ensured that the pitch was throwing up a bit of water as the ball travelled across the surface.

The visitors had the early pressure, but Craig Bellamy was flagged offside twice inside the first eight minutes as we tried swift breaks downfield – replays showed that second one in particular was harsh. The next few minutes saw City take the upper hand, with several attacks involving Bellamy getting the home fans going.

A great move started by Dunne and involving SWP & Robinho on 15 minutes saw a cross from Bridge on the overlap just elude Bellamy & Ireland in the centre. Trickery from Robinho within a minute allowed Zabaleta to stab a shot with the outside of his right foot straight at Christiansen, who did not make the same mistake as he had when tested by Onuoha last week.

Two chances inside of a minute nearly saw City take the lead, and there was a whiff of controversy about one.  Firstly, Craig Bellamy crossed from the right and Robinho headed the deflected effort towards the goal, only to see the keeper push the ball onto the underside of the bar. We were back on the offence almost immediately, and Robinho foxed Jorgensen, who slipped inside the box as the Brazilian moved past him. As he did so, the ball touched the defender’s hand, but it was not seen by the referee, and Robinho then saw his shot from a tight angle well saved by Christiansen,

Copenhagen were appealing for a penalty on 26 minutes when N’Doye went to ground following in front of Dunne, but once again referee Dereli waved the claims away.

Pablo Zabaleta had another go at breaking the deadlock on 32 minutes, but his deflected effort was collected easily by Christiansen after bobbling up off the sodden surface.  Robinho was next to get a shot on target three minutes later, but his attempt, from the edge of the box, went straight to the visiting keeper.

The first half looked to be petering out when we struck the woodwork again! A quick one-two saw Bellamy shoot from inside the left side of the box, but the ball came back into play after bobbling past the keeper and on to the inside of the upright. No-one could quite believe it, and as we went in for half time we could only wonder if this would have significance later.

Copenhagen came out strongly after the break, and Almeida ended a good passing move by curling a shot over Given’s bar. A foul on Robinho in a couple of yards from the area allowed Bellamy to take his chance from a free kick, but his attempt did not have quite enough whip or dip on it and Christiansen saved.

Dunne needed treatment after getting an arm in the face from Almeida, but after the restart we should have taken the lead and given ourselves breathing space. A great run and pass from Robinho set up SWP, who must have thought an offside flag was coming, as he delayed for a split-second. But he carried on, and his cross-cum-shot from the right rolled agonisingly wide after just eluding Ireland on the near side.

It all got a bit frantic around 63 minutes with a shot from Robinho being charged down, and just afterwards Bellamy bore down on the keeper after a long ball up from the back. The striker’s pace had caused problems all night but the danger of being called offside seemed a constant threat.

And with 18 minutes left we finally got the goal that we had threatened to get all night, and no surprises where it came from! Zabaleta dinked the ball down the left over the top of Jorgensen and into the path of Craig Bellamy, who shook off the attentions of the Copenhagen defender, tore into the box and slammed the ball in past Christiansen. A thoroughly deserved goal, his third since arriving from West Ham – with a question mark over the disputed one from Sunday!

We had the cushion we had been looking for, and we should have made it more comfortable on 78 minutes when Robinho danced into the box, but from dead centre eight yards or so out, he somehow put it inches wide of the post.

Thankfully it did not matter, as a minute later the mercurial Brazilian set up the second for Craig Bellamy. Given looked up and found Robinho in space with a long kick, he danced to the byeline and squared it back behind Ireland to his striking partner, who smacked it home emphatically with this left foot. And after all the recent press conjecture, it was nice to see Bellamy go straight to Robinho in gratitude after scoring.

The Welshman did his bit at the other end with five minutes left, clearing off the line as Copenhagen sought an unlikely way back. Given touched away a Sionko cross on 87, and Almedia put the rebound wide.

More magic from Robinho, again weaving his way to the byeline, allowed Bellamy to try for his hat-trick, but a charge-down denied him.

Credit to the visiting fans for making as much noise at the end as they did at the start, as their team prepared to bow out, and they had something to cheer in stoppage time when Martin Vingaard drove a good shot home wide of Given and into the net.

But that was it, and City had a thoroughly deserved win that could have been by a much wider margin. The Istanbul dream is still on!