Manchester City take Group A honours

A second-half equaliser from Jô cancelled out Niccolò Giannetti's effort on his first start for Juventus as Manchester City FC finished top of Group A.

The 19-year-old Giannetti, whose previous first-team experience amounted to a seven-minute outing on Matchday 4, got across Dedryck Boyata to turn in Alessandro Del Piero's pass two minutes before half-time. City, like the Bianconeri, were a greater threat going forward after the break and levelled when Jô adroitly took Adam Johnson's pass in his stride, swivelled near the penalty spot and fired past Alexander Manninger.

It was also Jô who was at the centre of the first opening, the striker unable to turn in a cross from Micah Richards. A promising start from the visitors continued with Wayne Bridge delivering a cross which was inadvertently turned towards goal by Mohamed Sissoko, forcing Manninger into action.

Chances were in short supply, however, until the hosts opened the scoring when a Bianconeri legend, Del Piero, twisted inside Richards and teed up a forward making his first steps in Juventus colours, Giannetti. Jô was then off target within seconds of the restart, glancing Johnson's cross wide when unmarked.

Luigi Delneri's team responded with Felipe Melo and Miloš Krasić drawing saves from Shay Given either side of Johnson, having cut inside on to his right foot, being denied by Zdeněk Grygera's last-ditch block. The game was starting to open up, with City − perhaps aware KKS Lech Poznań were leading FC Salzburg and thus set to top the group − seeking the goal which would return them to the summit.

It arrived with 13 minutes remaining, though, as Jô's persistence finally paid off after being teed up by the lively Johnson. The result means Juventus become the second club, after AEK Athens FC in 2002/03, to draw all six fixtures in a group stage.