City-Palace Match Thread!

By: Thad | August 27th, 2009

It’s been a cracking though goalless match at Selhurst Park so far tonight in the Carling Cup–we’re going to live-blog the rest of the match starting from the 2nd half kickoff.

48th minute. A full strength City side with Lescott making a debut has gotten a great challenge from Palace tonight with Given called into action several times. The second half has again started out with City on the back foot.

50th minute. But just like that the tables have turned! GOAL for Shaun Wright-Phillips, beating Spuroni near post from 10 yards to finish a great team move.

51st minute. Easily that was City’s best chance of the night, though the Blues did have some good spells in the first half and one opportunity for Robinho wiped away by a poor linesman’s decision.

52nd minute. Adebayor is being called “lazy” by the commentators after being caught offside that time.

53rd minute. This time Adebayor is on but he can’t finish the one on one, nice save. Ireland followed up but didn’t get a clean strike off, his effort floats harmlessly wide.

54th minute. Incredibly, City are through again but this time SWP hits the bar! He chipped the keeper beautifully but was unlucky. Palace put it behind for a corner. They only clear it half way, but nothing comes of the pressure.

56th minute. City have been cutting Palace apart right down the middle if you wonder where these one on ones are coming from. Palace are pushing up farther and City are passing it around them better. Everyone on the pitch for City is capable of making a telling run or a telling pass.

59th minute. For the record, it’s Bridge, Toure, Lescott, Richards, Given, SWP, Ireland, Barry, Robinho, Adebayor, Tevez on the pitch for City–the strongest possible outfit, most would say. Richard Dunne’s transfer to Aston Villa is in the process of being finalized.

58th minute. Lescott has been okay on his debut but was caught on the wrong foot a couple of times in the first half, once on a slip, once on a miscommunication with Toure that allowed Freddy Sears in for a close range shot. After the opening second half flurry Palace have not had much attacking pressure this half.

60th minute. A chance there for Palace as the ball squirted tantalizingly through the box before City finally hack it away. City get it the other way but Ireland is deemed offside. Looked like a bad call.

62nd minute. Mark Hughes knows he can’t afford another early cup exit, and won’t want anything to disrupt City’s early positive momentum this season. Still, one would like to see City put this away soon so the likes of Weiss and Petrov can get on.

64th minute. More City pressure but Adebayor doesn’t get the pass to Tevez quite right. There has been a lot of that sort of thing these first three matches of the year.

66th minute. Which is another reason for Hughes to field his strongest side–more time on the pitch together can only help build up a stronger team understanding. It’s not all clicking yet but the effort and unselfishness are there.

68th minute. Adebayor left it for SWP to take a pop from outside the box but it twists well wide.

69th minute. Very good play by Palace ends with Moses getting a shot off from inside the box, but it’s a bit rushed and goes well wide. N’Diaye had a good run to start that move. Toure closed down the shot which helped put Moses off.

70th minute. Lovely move there saw Bridge get all the way to the touchline unmolested. He flashes the cross across goal but it’s behind for a corner. Barry takes it and it’s headed behind for another corner as Bellamy prepares to come on.

71th minute. And from that corner comes the killer second! GOAL for Carlos Tevez, off his head from about 3 yards out. Well done there, and great to see Tevez get off the mark.

72nd minute. Ambrose and Sears are off for Palace which may be Neil Warnock’s concession that this one is over. Robinho, looking a little frustrated (still no goals this year) is off and Bellamy and his tattoos are on.

73rd minute. Palace is not quitting however and they’ve won a corner through Moses. Lescott helps hoof that one away.

75th minute. City passing the ball around now as the rival supporters try to out-sing one another.

76th minute. Bridge brings Moses down with a tough tackle and Moses is in some pain. No card for Bridge, though there could have been. Only booking so far this match was Richards for an 8th minute tackle.

77th minute. Some pressure there from Palace ends with a shot falling to Derry, who shoots very hard but well left of the goal. It looks like Moses is done for the night, a sub will be on soon.

80th minute. Nick Carle is the sub for Palace, who are still putting in a very decent effort despite the adverse situation. Maybe City could do with some subs to freshen things up.

83rd minute. Tevez is not out of gas though and he wriggles free to get a shot off inside the box, it’s low and hard but right at the keeper.

84th minute. Count me surprised that City have only made the 1 change so far. Portsmouth await in less than 72 hours.

86th minute. Nice tackle there by Hill on Bellamy who was trying to run on to the ball inside the box. Now City make a change with Tevez–Neil Warnock’s favorite player–coming off and Nigel de Jong coming on to close this out.

88th minute. Decent cross by Palace there sits up N’Diyae for a header. Probably going wide but Given saved it anyways. It seems a long time ago now that Given had to make several saves in quick session early in the match. More pressure from Palace and it’s another shot for Derry that goes right at Given.

90th minute. Palace ask for a penalty claiming the ball hit Bridge’s hand. It did, but he knew nothing about it–never a penalty. Two minutes of extra time to go.

92nd minute. Given forced into a great diving save there–that looked like Palace would score. It was Scannell with the shot/cross. Richards was hanging on to his man there and perhaps lucky to evade punishment.

And that’s the final whistle! 2-0 City. Both sides have reason to be pleased. Good match from Palace, good result for City. That’s 5 goals for and 3 against in 270 minutes of football.

City are in the draw for the final 32 of this competition. More importantly, the treble is still on! (ha ha.)

Over and out for now, but stay tuned for a post with some thoughts on club captain Richard Dunne’s imminent departure from City as well as who should take the armband from him.