Manchester City crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday despite staging a rousing second-half fightback against Sporting Lisbon.
Blues bow out of Europe on the away goals rule
Manchester City crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday despite staging a rousing second-half fightback against Sporting Lisbon to pick up a 3-2 win on the night.
The away goals rule put paid to the Blues' continental dreams, with a two-legged tie ending 3-3 on aggregate.
Goals from Matias Fernandez and Ricky van Wolfswinkel helped to edge Sporting through and ensured that City joined arch-rivals Manchester United in bowing out at the last-16 stage.
Two efforts from Sergio Aguero and a penalty from Mario Balotelli offered City hope of turning a remarkable game on its head, but it was not to be for Roberto Mancini's side.
A lacklustre showing from the Blues saw them fall behind on 33 minutes, with Fernandez making Balotelli pay for conceding a needless free-kick 25 yards from goal as he rifled the ball past Joe Hart.
Sporting then stunned the Etihad Stadium faithful for a second time five minutes before the interval as Marat Izmailov ghosted into space and squared for Van Wolfswinkel to tap into an empty net.
City had to respond in the second half and they did just that, with Aguero handing them a lifeline on the hour mark when he slammed the ball into the back of the net after being picked out by Yaya Toure.
Balotelli then kept his nerve to convert from the spot after Aguero had been sent tumbling, and there were still 15 minutes left on the clock.
Mancini's men got one more, as Aguero crashed in his second of the night, but despite piling on the pressure, and Hart planting a header inches wide, there was to be no fairytale ending for City.
Atmosphere
City had initially seemed in the mood as the game kicked off in a lively atmosphere, enhanced by a small band of excitable Sporting fans who let off some green flares.
After an early score when Stijn Schaars shot wide after a poor Stefan Savic clearance, City looked to attack.
Adam Johnson made two threatening runs and almost broke through as he looked to play a one-two with David Silva, but the Spaniard's return pass was well read by Anderson Polga.
Sporting had no intention of sitting back on their first-leg advantage and the impressive Fernandez found space to shoot, but his effort was blocked by Savic and first-leg goalscorer Xandao headed wide from the resulting corner.
Johnson volleyed wide from a Silva cross as City came forward again, but the hosts then began to show signs of early frustration and Sporting dug in.
First Yaya Toure was booked for throwing the ball into the ground after fouling Fernandez. Balotelli then took a Silva cross-field pass in his stride but Polga got across to deflect his shot wide.
As the ball bounced back off the advertising hoarding, Balotelli thumped it high into the stand.
Fernandez continued to pose a danger but was booked for diving after turning sharply in the area and tumbling following minimal contact from David Pizarro.
Stunning
However, Fernandez got the break he wanted soon after with a stunning free-kick in the 33rd minute after a backtracking Balotelli clumsily bundled over former Liverpool defender Emiliano Insua.
Mancini appeared frustrated by Balotelli's actions - and exchanged words with his fellow Italian - but Fernandez took full advantage as he curled a fine shot around the wall which Hart could only palm in.
City were left needing four goals to progress after Sporting then grabbed their
