Alvarez double sees City begin European defence on right note

MAN CITY 3 RED STAR BELGRADE 1

THE name of Glazer, so long despised in the red half of Manchester was popular on the other side of the town last night after the Red Star goalkeeper helped the defending Champions League winners get their campaign off to a winning start.

Israel international Omri Glazer turned in a brilliant first half for the Serbian side, who took a shock lead into the interval, 101 days since City lifted the trophy on that famous night in Istanbul.

But on 60 minutes, a Julian Alvarez free-kick, from the corner of the Red Star area, curled towards the far post and the keeper could only help the ball into his own net via a wayward punch.

It was Alvarez’s second of the evening and, after Rodri added a later third goal for Pep Guardiola’s side, maintained City’s run of 27 games unbeaten at home in Europe - 25 of them wins.

But it had not all been so simple with the moment that stunned an Etihad crowd, who had seen City out-shoot the visitors 22-1 to that point, coming on the stroke of half-time.

Osman Bukari chased onto a through ball from Mirko Ivanic and calmly converted past the advancing Ederson with his effort being ruled out for offside before a lengthy VAR check deemed it on and Red Star had the lead.

The goal came five years to the day since City’s last home European defeat - in a group loss to Lyon - but it took the champions just over 70 seconds of the second half to draw level.

It was a well-worked equaliser, with Erling Haaland receiving and returning passes with Alvarez before the Argentinian World Cup winner rounded the keeper and scored from a tight angle.

And Rodri guaranteed a comfortable-looking scoreline, if not evening, on 72 minutes when Phil Foden dribbled back out of the area and