Yaya Toure bagged a brilliant third goal as Manchester City took a step closer to their first ever UEFA Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-1 win at Dynamo Kyiv on Wednesday in their round of 16 first-leg clash.
Nigerian youngster Kelechi Iheanacho also made his Champions League debut as a late substitute on a fine night for City.
Manuel Pellegrini introduced Iheanacho for Sergio Aguero in the 90th minute, a cameo role that didn't afford him room to make any significant contribution to Manchester City's overall performance. And that was Pellegrini's only substitution in the match.
Sergio Agüero reflected the dominance on the scoreboard on 15 minutes and, when David Silva doubled the lead before half-time, the hosts were up against it. They improved, and Vitaliy Buyalskiy's effort forced the door ajar before Touré slammed it shut.
The first half, though, was all City. Returning to action after 11 weeks off, Dynamo awoke from winter hibernation with heavy legs – by the time they were up and running they trailed 2-0. Agüero struck first, lashing in after Touré's knockdown from Silva's corner found him inexplicably unmarked.
Five minutes before the interval City were cruising when Agüero brought down a long pass and held off the defence before back-heeling into Raheem Sterling's stride. Sterling's cross gave Silva a tap-in. Moments later Agüero squandered a great chance to put the contest to bed when he screwed wide.
It was, perhaps, the shot in the arm Dynamo needed. Serhiy Rebrov's team were a renewed force after the restart. Buyalskiy halved the deficit before the hour, driving in a deflected shot after Nicolás Otamendi could only head clear to the edge of the box. The game opened up.
Joe Hart saved well to deny Buyalskiy a second, then Touré nodded wide with the goal at his mercy. With full time approaching he made amends after a slick Ciy move, looping the ball into the top-right corner.
In the other match on the night, 10-man PSV fought bravely to hold Atletico Madrid to a 0-0 draw in Eidhoven.
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