missed two penalties as Pep Guardiola's men took
a commanding lead in the first leg of their
Champions League play-off tie
Sergio Aguero shook off two first-half penalty misses to
score a hat-trick as Manchester City all but sealed their
place in the Champions League group stage with a 5-0 away
win over Steaua Bucharest in the first leg of their play-off
tie.
The Argentina international had his first attempt from 12
yards saved by goalkeeper Goalkeeper Florin Nita, before
blasting a second spot kick over the bar after David Silva's
opener.
Aguero eventually made amends when he doubled City's
lead late in the first half with a calm finish, with Nolito piling
even more misery on the hosts in the second half to make it
3-0.
City rounded off an easy win and it was Aguero who had the
final say with a late double to complete his treble.
The fourth came in the 78th minute as Aguero converted at
the end of an intricate passing move by firing into the
bottom-left corner, and he hit home his third in off the post
to add further gloss to the scoreline a minute from time.
City survived an early scare when Nicolae Stanciu nearly
took advantage of some sloppy play from Fernandinho, but
they were in full control from there on and should have gone
a goal up in the eighth minute when referee Daniele Orsato
awarded them a penalty following Muniru Sulley's foul on
Sterling.
Nita pulled off a superb save to deny Aguero from the spot,
though, blocking his low shot, before Nolito crashed the
rebound against the crossbar.
The Premier League side eventually did get the early goal
they were after in the 13th minute when Silva found the net
after some great work from Sterling.
Sterling stole the ball off Alin Tosca, charged forward and
set up Silva inside the area, with the Spaniard coolly firing
past Nita for the opener.
Aguero's poor fortune from the spot continued in the 21st
minute as he shot high off target after Gabriel Enache had
brought down Aleksandar Kolarov inside the area.
City were nearly made to pay for Aguero's profligacy when
Jugurtha Hamroun popped up in a dangerous area after a
quick counter-attack, but shot-stopper Willy Caballero -
again selected ahead of Joe Hart - showed his class as he
thwarted the winger.
Guardiola's men pushed hard for a second goal in the
closing stages of the first half and it was Aguero who made
it two in the 42nd minute. Goalkeeper Nita first frustrated
Kolarov and Sterling, but there was nothing he could do to
stop Aguero 's placed shot from the edge of the box as
he atoned for his previous penalty woes.
Nolito then all but put the tie to bed early in the second
half, rounding the goalkeeper after a wonderful pass from
Kevin De Bruyne before making it 3-0 to the visitors.
City and Aguero poured even more salt in the
Steaua wounds courtesy of an excellent team goal 12
minutes from time, with the hat-trick and an emphatic rout
then completed with yet another clinical finish.
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