Sporting Lisbon will need to upturn a 5-0 deficit when they host Manchester City in the return leg of the UCL round of 16
By Kehinde Okeowo
Manchester City trashed Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon 5-0 in Portugal to effectively seal their passage to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
With the stunning last-16, first-leg win, City has ensured an unassailable advantage in the return leg against the buoyant and reinvigorated Portuguese opposition.
Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring for the visitors after an assist from Kevin de Bruyne in the 7th minute with the goal awarded after a lengthy delay to assess if Kevin de Bruyne had strayed offside in the build-up to the goal.
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Bernardo Silva made it 2-0 in the 17th minute with a glorious half-volley following a corner. Phil Foden added a third in the 32nd minute after receiving a pass from Riyad Mahrez.
Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva scored a brace and Citys’ fourth goal before the break after he was put through by Raheem Sterling.
City continued where they stopped after the break, with Silva returning the favour as he set up Raheem Sterling, who finished the effort to make it 5-0 in the 58th minute.
Bernardo Silva could have made it a hat-trick, but his headed goal was ruled out for offside in the 50th minute.
Sporting will travel to Manchester for the formality of the second leg on Wednesday 16 March, in what now appears like a herculean task.