Over the course of his stellar City career, the powerhouse Ivorian constantly delivered when it really mattered.
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The hallmark of any great player is that the higher the stakes, the more they rise to the moment and over the course of his eight years at the Etihad, Yaya became City’s go-to man on numerous crucial occasions.
That was arguably never better illustrated than Yaya’s stunning strike which lit up our Capital One Cup final against Sunderland back in 2014 and which served to inspire a ferocious City fightback.
The Blues had stepped out at Wembley as firm favourites against the Mackems but, instead, we found ourselves trailing after Fabio Borini’s 10th minute strike.
Sunderland maintained that lead through until the break and 10 minutes into the second half Gus Poyet’s side were still ahead.
Enter Yaya.
With City in need of a moment of inspiration and innovation, and Sunderland deploying massed ranks behind the ball, the midfielder answered the call.
After a patient build-up, the big man received the ball from Pablo Zabaleta almost 30 yards out from goal.
Instinctively, Yaya unleashed an exquisite right foot shoot which looped and curled over helpless Sunderland keeper Vitto Mannone into the left-hand corner of the goal.
Given his economy of back lift, both the power and trajectory Yaya generated was simply incredible.
It was a goal worthy of gracing any cup final and it proved a pivotal, game-changing moment.
Almost straight from the kick-off, the Blues launched another attacking raid which saw Samir Nasri fire home via a deflected Aleksandar Kolarov cross.
And our victory was ensured in stoppage time when Jesus Navas rounded a devastating counter-attack to set the seal on the Club’s first League Cup triumph since 1976.
But there was no disputing the moment of the day.
It was a heavenly slice of peak Yaya.
