adminLONDON. — Manchester City kept alive their hopes of winning four major trophies in one season by coming from behind to beat Sunderland 3-1 in the English League Cup final at Wembley yesterday. Fabio Borini’s 10th-minute goal gave underdogs Sunderland the lead. But City hit back with two goals in the space of a minute against their fellow Premier League side.
Yaya Toure’s sensational long-distance curling shot drew City level in the 55th minute and barely 60 seconds later Samir Nasri’s precise finish fired them in front.
Jesus Navas then sealed victory in the final minute of normal time with a goal on the counter-attack.
City are six points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea, but with two games in hand, and in the quarter- finals of the FA Cup – where they face Wigan, the team that beat them in last season’s final.
They are also in the last 16 of the Champions League but will have to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit away to Spanish giants Barcelona on March 12 if they are to reach the last eight.
Manuel Pellegrini won his first piece of silverware as Manchester City manager and his first trophy since leaving his South American backyard to come and coach in Europe.
The Chilean was slapped with a three-match European ban by UEFA for a rant about referee Jonas Eriksson on Friday but was on the touchline yesterday alongside Gus Poyet for the first final of the season.
City were overwhelming favourites, but the Black Cats appeared to have something of a hold over them.
A Phil Bardsley strike was the difference between the two sides when they met at the Stadium of Light in November and the underdogs had beaten City in each of the last four years.
And, for the first 45 minutes, they were on course for a shock victory only to be overwhelmed by City’s superiority in the second half.
“We’re terribly disappointed. The only way you enjoy a cup final is by winning it. We started exactly how we wanted to. Fantastic goal — couple more chances,” said Black Caps skipper John O’Shea.
“They’ve scored a great goal to get back into it. We lost our organisation that cost us for the second goal.
“City finished the game very strongly. It’s not a nice place now and we have a huge test for the rest of the season.”
Nasri was, as expected, a “happy man.”
“So much joy and pride. I lost two finals here before; today was really important. That first half gave me memories of Birmingham City in 2011.
“We were still confident at half-time. We needed to stay calm, remain focused and play our football. More tempo made the difference.” — AFP.
Online Reporter