Manchester City has secured their spot in the knockout round of the Champions League with two games to spare, courtesy of a 4-2 win away to Napoli on Wednesday.
City entered the match knowing that a point would be enough to book their spot in the round of 16, but they collected all three on a night where Sergio Aguero became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer on 178 goals.
A fast start from City saw both Leroy Sane and Sterling find space inside the Napoli box in the opening four minutes, but neither could release a strike. The first shot of the match eventually came from Marek Hamsik in the sixth minute, although his effort was comfortable for Ederson.
The visitors had a super chance to level the scores in the 32nd minute when Aguero found space inside the Napoli box after a fast break, but the Argentine’s effort hit Raul Albiol before deflecting just wide of Pepe Reina’s post.
City were level two minutes later, however, when Otamendi rose highest inside the Napoli box to head a Sane cross into the bottom corner of the net.
Guardiola’s team should have scored a second in the 39th minute when Otamendi again found space inside the Napoli box, but the Argentine somehow could not convert, before John Stones headed against the crossbar moments later.
Stones was not to be denied early in the second period, however, as the England international’s towering header hit the underside of the crossbar before bouncing over the line as City took a 2-1 lead.
City regained the lead in the 69th minute though when a sensational counter-attack, which was led by Sane, eventually saw Aguero finish into the bottom corner as the Argentine became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.
Napoli pressed forward in the latter stages as the hosts looked to avoid already their third defeat in Group F, but it was City that scored the game’s sixth goal in the 92nd minute when Sterling finished into the far corner after another fast break.
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