Omonia Nikosia v Manchester City UEFA Cup 1st Round 1st Leg 2008/09

 

City Hart, Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne, Garrido, Elano, Kompany, Wright-Phillips, Robinho, Ireland, Jo – Subs Sturridge(76), Fernandes(84), Schmeichel(unused), Ben Haim(unused), Hamann(85), Ball(unused), Evans(unused)

Omomia Giorgallides, Ndikumana, Wenzel, Pletsch, Aloneftis, Charalambous, Chrisofi, Duro, Kaseka, Okkas, Aguirre – subs Niculescu(74), Clayton(81), Bangura(45), Asprogentis(unused), Alabi(unused), Cafu(unused), Maris(unused)

JO SCORES BOTH OF CITY’S GOALS AND CELEBRATES

PHIL SHAW WRITING FOR THE TELEGRAPH –  The tersely named Jo, the less vaunted and less expensive of the two Brazil strikers signed by Mark Hughes in Manchester City’s high-spending summer, struck twice in 13 minutes as City shrugged off a goal by Omonia’s Klodian Duro soon after half-time to win their Uefa Cup first-round, first-leg match on a sweltering night in Cyprus.

Jo’s double not only eased City towards a place in the group stages but spared his blushes. In the first half he perpetrated one of the misses of the season and, before collecting his first goal since a £19 million move from CSKA Moscow, he twice shot against the goal frame. Hughes was perhaps as relieved as he was pleased by Jo’s reversal in fortune. “He worked really hard for the team and I’m delighted he got his reward,” the City manager said. “I thought we did a good, professional job. With the away goals, we’re in good shape.”
Inevitably, the focus fell sharply on Jo’s £32.5 million compatriot Robinho. Fulfilling the left-wing role he hated at Real Madrid, he was booked for dissent but rated as “excellent” by Hughes. Robinho might have put City ahead in the second minute, only for the diving Antonis Georgallides to parry his angled drive. Yet Jo had no such excuse after Stephen Ireland dispossessed Elias Charalambous and delivered a pass that called for a right-footed tap-in from four yards. Jo used his left and sliced horribly wide.

After Jo had rattled the far upright four minutes before the break, Ireland hit the same spot from tight angle.
Omonia were more ruthless when Vincent Kompany felled Duro a yard outside the City area. Ireland peeled away from City’s wall, allowing the Albanian’s free-kick to rip past Joe Hart. And when Jo struck the crossbar in the 55th minute, Hughes feared it might not be City’s night.

Four minutes later, however, the hapless Charalambous was again robbed and Shaun Wright-Phillips crossed. From a yard out, even Jo could not miss, and he put the outcome beyond doubt with 18 minutes remaining rifling a crisp shot beyond Georgallides.