City cruise to group stages

Elano: On target

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Manchester City booked their place in the group stages of the Uefa Cup with a 4-2 aggregate victory over Omonia Nicosia.

City led 2-1 from the first leg, but they initially made hard work of the second meeting at Eastlands as the opening 45 minutes ended goalless.

However, three minutes after the interval Elano blasted City in front on the night with a powerful finish from the edge of the box after good work from fellow Brazilian Robinho.

And in the 55th minute City extended their lead as Shaun Wright-Phillips was fortunate to escape handball appeals before blasting past Nicosia goalkeeper Antonis Giorgallides from close range.

Nicosia substitute Oladimeji Alabi pulled a 78th minute consolation back for the visitors, but it was too little too late.

Manager Mark Hughes had called on his team to put this tie to bed early but they took their time to settle against a team unbeaten in their domestic league.

Ambitious

They could have taken the lead inside the second minute when Elano picked out Micah Richards but his header went straight into Georgallides' arms.

Twelve minutes later Robinho made space for himself after a decent spell of possession by the ambitious Cypriot side.

However, the Brazil striker was left with a feeling of frustration as his effort went across the face of the goal and out of play.

Then Robinho tried his luck from distance but his shot failed to trouble the goalkeeper and went high over the bar.

Robinho almost gave City the lead a minute into the second half when he cut inside and sent his effort narrowly wide of the post.

But they did not have long to wait with Robinho showing he is a team player along with his other obvious assets.

The £32.5million buy laid the ball into the path of Elano two minutes later and he drilled a shot beyond the goalkeeper and into the corner.

Celebrate

It was a fine finish by another one of the four Brazilians in City's squad. Elano's goal extended their lead and seven minutes later they were celebrating again.

Wright-Phillips danced away from two defenders in the 55th minute before smashing a shot home to put City 4-1 ahead on aggregate.

It was another indication of the winger's love for the club and why Hughes is touting him for an England recall.

With the game against Liverpool to follow on Sunday, Hughes took off Kompany and Jo and replaced the pair with Dietmar Hamann and Ched Evans in the 67th minute.

Robinho's shot was then clawed to safety at his post by the goalkeeper before he was given a breather with Martin Petrov coming on for his first action following a hamstring injury.

City, though, took their foot off the pedal and paid the price in the 78th minute when Omonia pulled a goal back.

Substitute Rasheed Alabi got on the end of a corner from Efstathios Aloneftis to send a header beyond Joe Hart.

However, City completed the job they started in Nicosia to continue their European adventure.