SEVILLE – Manchester City threw off their shackles, went for goals and reached the Champions League last 16 with two games to spare by demolishing Sevilla 3-1 with a brilliant first-half attacking display in Group D on Tuesday.
First-half goals from Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho and Wilfried Bony sent City into the dressing rooms 3-1 up at half-time with the contest already effectively over.
City top the section with nine points, a point ahead of Juventus who drew 1-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach. Sevilla have three points above the Germans who now have two.
In what captain Vincent Kompany described as probably their finest ever performance in the competition, City were far too strong for a Sevilla side that had won their last ten home matches in European competition.
All the results from an entertaining night of #UCL football! pic.twitter.com/g2IqK3ngq9
Meanwhile, Real Madrid booked a place in the last 16 after substitute Nacho Fernandez scored late in the first half to clinch a 1-0 win in a tight game with Paris Saint Germain (PSG) at the Bernabeu.
The 25-year-old defender had been on the pitch for less than three minutes when he slotted home from a tight angle against the run of play after Toni Kroos’s shot was blocked in the 35th.
PSG will rue their poor finishing as they missed several chances, especially in the first period when Adrien Rabiot’s volley hit the post after 37 minutes.
Former-Real player Angel Di Maria also struck the woodwork late on with a free-kick for the visitors.
Real have ten points from four games in Group A while PSG, who suffered their first defeat in all competitions this season, are second with seven. Shakhtar Donetsk beat visiting Malmo 4-0 in the other group match with both teams now on three points. (Reuters)