After so many deflating nights in this competition, the Blues finally came of age with a controlled and clinical display that saw off Roma 2-0 in the Stadio Olimpico with second-half goals from Samir Nasri and Pablo Zabaleta.
Perhaps now, with the momentum gained from wins over Roma and Bayern, City can go on and have a real go in European football’s premier competition
...Roma 0 City 2..
City knew they had to better CSKA’s result and score a goal in Rome – that was the simplified version of the numerous permutations and if either didn’t happen, the Blues were out.
Of course, given the results against CSKA, it was a minor miracle that Pellegrini’s men went into the final game with such a good opportunity of progressing, but the fact that Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and David Silva were all absent from the starting XI meant this was still a sizeable hurdle.
The task could have been even greater had Jose Holebas taken a gift wrapped opportunity after just five minutes as he found himself free in the box before cutting inside a challenge and seeing his shot smothered superbly by skipper Joe Hart.
Former Arsenal striker Gervinho was looking lively up front and forced Hart into another excellent save on 21 minutes but thereafter, the Blues more than matched the Italians.
First James Milner was denied by De Sanctis, then Edin Dzeko skied a Nasri cross from close range on 24 and two minutes later Jesus Navas saw his deflected low shot disallowed as the referee harshly judged Dzeko to have fouled his marker in the build-up.
Six minutes before the break, Navas set Milner clear but De Sanctis was off his line quickly to save at his feet in what proved to be the last real opportunity of an entertaining first half
...Roma 0 City 2...
The news Bayern Munich were ahead in Germany had filtered through by the break making it a straight battle for second between these two sides if nothing changed as things stood – and the longer the score stayed 0-0, the more tense each side were likely to become, but perhaps more so the hosts who would ultimately progress if the score remained goalless.
Perhaps ingrained in the DNA of Italian sides, the hosts looked tentative and began to sit deep in their own half until finally, City struck with a stunning goal on the hour as Nasri cracked a beauty in off the post from 20 yards out.
Suddenly the whole dynamic had changed and it was no more than the depleted Blues deserved as they chased a memorable first win in Italy
...Roma 0 City 2...
Roma had been second best for so long that when they finally sparked into life for the first time in the second period, they almost scored twice in the space of 60 seconds as first Manolas saw his header brilliantly tipped onto the post by Hart, then Martin Demichelis cleared the ball off his line and blocked another shot seconds later.
Had either gone in, it would have been an unbearable last 20 minutes or so, but it would have been harsh on the English champions who had been bossing the game for so long.
Though Roma looked as though they might finally give it a go in the closing stages, City, with Silva off the bench, began to pick off the Serie A side at will and when Nasri played in Zabaleta – the goal machine – to wrap up the points with a smart finish from close range on 86 minutes.
The Argentine ran off to celebrate with the 1500 City fans that had made the journey to Rome and the victory was completed with news Bayern had beaten CSKA 3-0 to round off a wonderful European night and a first ever win on Italian soil for the Premier League champions.
