MANCHESTER: Manchester City eased past defending Europa League champion FC Porto on Wednesday, beating the Portuguese side 4-0 to wrap up a 6-1 aggregate win.
Sergio Aguero opened the scoring after just 19 seconds to stretch City’s 2-1 first-leg advantage but the English Premier League leader then had to wait until the 76th minute for its second goal.
Edin Dzeko, David Silva and David Pizarro completed the rout with goals in the last 14 minutes.
Entered into the second-tier Europa League following its elimination from the elite Champions League, City advances to the round of 16 for a match against Legia Warsaw or Sporting Lisbon.
Sporting hosts Legia on Thursday with the teams tied 2-2 from their first-leg match.
Aguero opened the scoring after a through-ball from Yaya Toure, slipping a shot low past goalkeeper Helton.
Substitute Dzeko had been on the field just seven minutes when he collected a precise pass from Aguero and shot past Helton.
Porto was reduced to 10 men when Rolando was sent off for a second yellow card as City celebrated and Silva added a third goal in the 84th after good approach work from Pizarro and Dzeko.
Dzeko then set up Pizarro two minutes later for his first goal for City.
The buildup to the match had been overshadowed by Carlos Tevez’s apology for his dispute with the club, which involved the Argentina forward leaving England and going on strike after refusing manager Roberto Mancini’s order to warm up as a substitute in a Champions League match.
“Tomorrow, I will meet Carlos and talk with him,” Mancini said. (Agencies)
