Goals from David Silva and Jo ensured the Blues topped the group with Juventus after a polished performance against the Austrians.
With the Salzburg stadium set amid a magnificent backdrop of the Alps and a pre-match entertainment of pure power ballads that would have had Mozart turning in his grave, City ran out to a fairly full stadium.
The hot afternoon sunshine had given way to cloudier, cooler conditions, perfect for football and the opening fixture in what we all hope will be a lengthy Europa League campaign.
Roberto Mancini made six changes from the team that drew with Blackburn Rovers last Saturday with Gareth Barry, Jo, Pablo Zabaleta, David Silva and Wayne Bridge all recalled to the starting line-up.
There had been much discussion in the build-up to this game regarding Spanish midfielder Silva and his frustration at not yet showing his true form for the Blues due to the stop-start nature of his first few months in Manchester, but on seven minutes he finally got his season off and running.
Bridge was first to pick up a loose ball on the left and his low cross found Jo who, in turn, found Silva on the edge of the box. The Spaniard had enough time to look up and curl a right-foot shot past Salzburg keeper Gerhard Tremmel to put City ahead.
It was the perfect start for Mancini’s side and it quickly took the wind out of the noisy home faithful – replete with their Fulham-style clackers – though they were soon creating a din again as Salzburg gradually got back into the game and almost forced an equaliser on 30 minutes when Ibrahim Sekagya’s speculative header struck the top of Joe Hart’s crossbar.
Despite the hosts’ improvement, it was City who could – and probably should – have scored a second goal five minutes from half-time when Carlos Tevez set Silva up inside the box, but this time the Spain star saw his effort pushed around the post by Tremmel. It was to be the last opportunity of an entertaining first 45 minutes.
Salzburg came out with their tails up and almost snatched an equaliser within a couple of minutes of the re-start when Nikola Pokrivak fired a low free-kick inches past the post, but after weathering the early storm, City resumed control and added a second, killer goal.
Tevez worked himself enough room to fire in a powerful low drive from 20-yards out that Tremmel did well to parry, but it was Jo who was first to the rebound, tucking the ball home with some aplomb.
It was the Brazilian’s first goal for the Blues since September 2008 and it was enough to seal victory for an impressive City.
