The Citizens pay for sluggish start as they have to come from behind to score four goals in order to progress but fall agonizingly short in the closing minutes
Sporting made the brighter start to the game, closing down the City team at every opportunity and Xandao went close with a header in the opening stages but the low-key beginning from both teams was indicative of the atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium, which was barely full despite the relative importance of the game.
Manchester City fell valiantly short of an epic comeback in its Europa League game against Sporting despite beating its Portuguese opponents 3-2 on the night.
First-half goals from Matias Fernandez and Ricky Van Wolfswinkel gave Sporting a deserved 2-0 lead as City started sluggishly to leave the English club with the mountainous task of scoring four goals in the second half.
But Roberto Mancini rung the changes and his team got back into the game through two goals from Sergio Aguero on either side of a Mario Balotelli penalty.
Aguero’s goal gave the home side’s fans hope with the third goal nine minutes from time but despite throwing everything at Sporting, they couldn’t find the fourth.
Midfielder David Pizarro was given a rare start after Gareth Barry failed to recover from a back injury in time, while Joleon Lescott missed out again. Sergio Aguero started alongside Balotelli as City knew it needed goals. Alexandre Xandao, who scored the back-heeled goal in the first leg, started for Sporting.
The first real incident of note came after 20 minutes as Sporting players and fans were left incensed as they were denied a penalty claim after Matias Fernandez fell under the challenge of the clumsy Stefan Savic. Unimpressed with his histrionics, the referee booked the midfielder five minutes later for diving just outside the area - even if it did look like David Pizarro made contact with him.
City seemed bereft of rhythm in the first half as it looked for long balls, while Fernandez kept the away side ticking.
And it was Fernandez who opened the scoring with a fabulous free kick from 25 yards on the 32nd minute. The Chilean went down under the challenge of Balotelli and he stepped up with aplomb to fire a strike into the far post that had too much power on it for the diving Joe Hart to keep out, despite getting a strong hand on it.
Sporting deservedly extended its lead less than ten minutes later against the lackluster City with a brilliant team goal, finished off by Van Wolfswinkel. A cross-field ball was headed down by Van Wolfswinkel who spread the ball wide, which sucked Aleksandar Kolarov out of position. Sporting then got the ball into the vacant area to Marat Izmailov, who expertly found the waiting Van Wolfswinkel at the back post, having freed himself of the attention of both Stefan Savic and Kolo Toure.
Sensing his team needed to score goals in the second half, Mancini brought off Adam Johnson – who showed a few bright spots in the first half – for holding midfielder Nigel de Jong.
That moved was swiftly followed by the substitution of the absent Pizarro, who was replaced by Edin Dzeko.
City got itself back in the game on the hour mark with its most fluent piece play of the game as Yaya Toure drove towards the area with the ball before expertly finding Aguero, who does well to finish in the top corner.
The goal brought City to life from its deep slumber and the team immediately took control of proceedings as Sporting began to look nervous and tried to protect its lead.
City’s pressure told 15 minutes later as Aguero was tripped by Renato Neto – whether it was in the area or not is hard to call – and Balotelli, who had been virtually absent for the whole evening, steps up to draw the teams level on the night.
Aguero then sent the home fans into raptures with just under 10 minutes to go after putting City within one goal of progressing. A corner was flicked on by Dzeko towards the Argentine, who was all alone at the back, to flick the ball goalwards.
City had time for one last chance as Joe Hart of all people got on the end of a cross with a header that looked destined for the back of the net until Rui Patricio somehow got his hand to the ball to divert it agonisingly wide.
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