FC Timisoara 0 - 1 Man City
 Balotelli struck minutes after coming on for his debut in Romania
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Manchester City's £24m striker Mario Balotelli came off the bench to score on his debut as they won their Europa League play-off first leg in Timisoara.
Balotelli came on with City struggling against the little-known Romanians and with 18 minutes left he coolly fired in after good work from Emmanuel Adebayor.
Timisoara had started well and had two penalty appeals turned down as City laboured for long periods.
But soon after Yaya Toure hit the post, Balotelli grabbed the decisive goal.
The 20-year-old's dream start to his City career makes his new club very strong favourites going into the second leg at Eastlands next Thursday.
City manager Roberto Mancini had asked for time for his new signings to gel prior to the game and, showing only three changes from the 0-0 draw at Spurs on Saturday, it took them a while to find their feet in the Dan Paltinisanu Stadium.
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606: DEBATE
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Timisoara, sixth in the Romanian league, began in enterprising fashion and the majority of the 20,000-strong crowd were left dismayed when referee Florian Meyer turned down their appeals for a spot-kick after Pablo Zabaleta appeared to catch Cosmin Contra in the City box.
City were struggling to string two passes together and they survived another penalty shout when the ball struck Vincent Kompany's arm before Contra's follow-up shot dribbled into the arms of Joe Hart.
It was not so much City weathering a Timisoara storm as the visitors completely failing to get their act together, but that did not last and around the half-hour mark Mancini's multi-million pound side started to show glimpses of their class.
Carlos Tevez's control was a touch too heavy to collect Gareth Barry's cross or he would have been in on goal, while moments after the break David Silva had a shot blocked after a good pass from Tevez.
City had raised the tempo to a level Timisoara were struggling to cope with and the arrival of former Inter Milan striker Balotelli after 57 minutes proved the catalyst for them to go on and win the game.
He was immediately in the action when he shot over from 20 yards, before Balotelli fired into the side-netting after Timisoara failed to clear a corner.
Moments after Yaya Toure's right-foot thunderbolt slammed back off the post Balotelli gave City the goal their play had warranted, sweeping in from close range after Adebayor had created the chance.
The visitors narrowly failed to increase their lead in the closing stages as Yaya Toure's shot forced a good save from Costel Pantilimon and then the irrepressible Balotelli shot over.
The Italian's captivating cameo ended when he picked up a knock in injury time. After such a sizzling start in a City shirt, Mancini will hope his new star is available for the visit of Liverpool to Eastlands in the Premier League on Monday.
Live text and stats
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Europa League Q'fying
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Timisoara | 0-1 | Man City | FT |
| (HT 0-0) | |||
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FC Timisoara
- 29 Pantilimon
- 04 Luchin yellow card
- 08 Sepsi
- 13 Scutaru (Zicu 71)
- 22 Contra (Mera 80)
- 28 Cisovsky
- 05 Alexa
- 07 Curtean
- 55 Bourceanu
- 09 Axente
- 17 Magera (Goga 83)
Substitutes
- 99 Taborda,
- 14 Mera,
- 20 Popovic,
- 24 Dukic,
- 31 Poparadu,
- 21 Goga,
- 27 Zicu
Man City
- 25 Hart
- 04 Kompany
- 05 Zabaleta
- 19 Lescott
- 28 Kolo Toure
- 18 Barry (Balotelli 57 yellow card)
- 21 Silva (A Johnson 66)
- 34 De Jong
- 42 Yaya Toure
- 09 Adebayor
- 32 Tevez (Jo 77)
Substitutes
- Final Result
- Full Time
- 90:00+4:40 The referee brings the game to a close.
- 90:00+4:17 The official flags Emmanuel Adebayor offside. Free kick taken by Marian Cisovsky.
- 90:00+2:45 Corner taken by Adam Johnson from the right by-line.
- 90:00+1:18 Free kick awarded for a foul by Joleon Lescott on Alexandru Curtean. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Alexandru Bourceanu.
- 89:54 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mario Balotelli by Ioan Mera. Free kick taken by Joleon Lescott.
- 88:57 Srgian Luchin concedes a free kick for a foul on Mario Balotelli. Direct free kick taken by Mario Balotelli.
- 87:28 Gnegneri Toure Yaya takes a shot. Save by Costel Pantilimon. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Mario Balotelli, save made by Costel Pantilimon.
- 86:03 Free kick awarded for a foul by Emmanuel Adebayor on Costel Pantilimon. Costel Pantilimon takes the free kick.
- 85:29 Shot on goal by Adam Johnson from just inside the area clears the crossbar.
- 83:50 Corner taken by Alexandru Curtean played to the near post.
- 83:22 Corner taken by Alexandru Curtean from the right by-line.
- 82:35 Substitution Lukas Magera goes off and Dorin Goga comes on.
- 78:58 Gnegneri Toure Yaya takes the direct free kick.
- 78:58 Substitution Ioan Mera replaces Cosmin Contra.
- 78:58 Free kick awarded for a foul by Lukas Magera on Nigel De Jong.
- 78:18 Mario Balotelli takes a corner.
- 76:23 Cosmin Contra restarts play with the free kick.
- 76:23 Substitution Joao Alves Jo is brought on as a substitute for Carlos Tevez.
- 76:23 Dan Alexa fouled by Vincent Kompany, the ref awards a free kick.
- 75:36 Emmanuel Adebayor is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Srgian Luchin.
- 75:02 Free kick awarded for a foul by Alexandru Bourceanu on Carlos Tevez. Carlos Tevez restarts play with the free kick.
- 73:45 Srgian Luchin restarts play with the free kick.
- 73:45 Booking Mario Balotelli is given a yellow card.
- 73:42 Foul by Mario Balotelli on Cosmin Contra, free kick awarded.
- 71:45 Emmanuel Adebayor provided the assist for the goal.
- 71:45 GOAL - Mario Balotelli:FC Timisoara 0 - 1 Man City Mario Balotelli scores a goal from close range low into the middle of the goal. FC Timisoara 0-1 Man City.
- 71:43 Emmanuel Adebayor crosses the ball,
- Correction - 68:48 Substitution (FC Timisoara) makes a substitution, with Ianis Zicu coming on for Cristian Scutaru.
- Correction - 68:48 Corner taken right-footed by Mario Balotelli, Gnegneri Toure Yaya takes a shot.
- 68:48 Substitution Ianis Zicu joins the action as a substitute, replacing Cristian Scutaru.
- 68:48 Inswinging corner taken by Mario Balotelli from the left by-line, Gnegneri Toure Yaya takes a shot.
- 66:11 Short corner taken by Mario Balotelli from the left by-line. Effort from inside the six-yard box by Mario Balotelli goes wide right of the target.
- 65:05 Substitution David Silva goes off and Adam Johnson comes on.
- 64:05 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on David Silva by Laszlo Sepsi. David Silva takes the direct free kick.
- 63:05 Cristian Scutaru challenges Mario Balotelli unfairly and gives away a free kick. Joleon Lescott restarts play with the free kick.
- 62:46 Alexandru Curtean fouled by Pablo Zabaleta, the ref awards a free kick. Alexandru Curtean takes the direct free kick.
- 61:18 Mario Balotelli is caught offside. Costel Pantilimon takes the indirect free kick.
- 58:28 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Vincent Kompany by Mircea Axente. Vincent Kompany takes the direct free kick.
- 56:00 Marian Cisovsky takes the free kick.
- 56:00 Substitution Mario Balotelli on for Gareth Barry.
- 56:00 The official flags Emmanuel Adebayor offside.
- 54:08 Marian Cisovsky gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Emmanuel Adebayor. Gareth Barry delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right wing, save made by Costel Pantilimon.
- 51:20 Unfair challenge on Laszlo Sepsi by David Silva results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Marian Cisovsky.
- 50:25 Mircea Axente takes a shot. Save by Joe Hart.
- 49:29 Pablo Zabaleta concedes a free kick for a foul on Alexandru Curtean. Cosmin Contra takes the direct free kick.
- 47:08 David Silva is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Costel Pantilimon takes the indirect free kick.
- 45:01 The second half kicks off.
- Half Time
- 45:00+1:19 The ref blows to signal half-time.
- 42:33 Srgian Luchin fouled by Kolo Toure, the ref awards a free kick. Laszlo Sepsi takes the direct free kick.
- 40:53 The free kick is swung in left-footed by David Silva, Dan Alexa manages to make a clearance.
- 40:53 Booking Srgian Luchin goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.
- 40:29 Carlos Tevez fouled by Srgian Luchin, the ref awards a free kick.
- 35:12 Cosmin Contra takes a shot. Save made by Joe Hart.
- 33:53 Gnegneri Toure Yaya produces a right-footed shot from just outside the area that goes harmlessly over the bar.
- 32:07 Unfair challenge on Carlos Tevez by Alexandru Bourceanu results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Nigel De Jong.
- 29:18 Unfair challenge on David Silva by Alexandru Bourceanu results in a free kick. Carlos Tevez produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick, Costel Pantilimon makes a save.
- 27:24 Joleon Lescott concedes a free kick for a foul on Cosmin Contra. Cosmin Contra restarts play with the free kick.
- 21:01 Corner taken left-footed by David Silva from the left by-line, Marian Cisovsky makes a clearance. David Silva takes the outswinging corner, clearance by Cristian Scutaru.
- 18:52 Shot by Alexandru Bourceanu. Blocked by Kolo Toure.
- 14:57 Emmanuel Adebayor is ruled offside. Srgian Luchin restarts play with the free kick.
- 8:13 Inswinging corner taken by David Silva from the right by-line, save by Costel Pantilimon.
- 4:12 Unfair challenge on Lukas Magera by Pablo Zabaleta results in a free kick. Alexandru Curtean takes the free kick.
- 3:25 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Alexandru Bourceanu.
- 2:27 Unfair challenge on David Silva by Dan Alexa results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Gnegneri Toure Yaya.
- 0:00 The match has kicked off.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
Potenshöjande medel - potenshöjande medel
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