Triumphant City march into last 16 by crushing Sevilla

Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring their first goal Action Images via Reuters 

Reuters: 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 halftime 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 10 home matches in European competition.

The Spaniards were as good as buried by the 11th minute in front of their own fans at the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

Man-of-the match Sterling, with his best performance since his 49 million pounds ($75.54 million) move from Liverpool, ignited City with an eighth minute goal.

The England winger then had a key role in setting up Fernandinho who headed the second three minutes later.

Benoit Tremoulinas headed Sevilla’s back into the contest after 25 minutes before Bony wrapped up the victory with City’s third in the 36th.

Like Sterling, it was Bony’s first Champions League goal.