Bytyqi breaks new ground with City
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
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Sinan Bytyqi scored the first goal of the new UEFA Youth League after ten minutes, his free-kick setting Manchester City FC on course for a 4-1 win at FK Viktoria Plzeň.
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Manchester City FC made history as the English club's youngsters triumphed 4-1 against their FK Viktoria Plzeň counterparts in the first-ever UEFA Youth League game.
Some nine hours before their senior colleagues meet to open their UEFA Champions League campaigns on Tuesday evening, the clubs' Under-19 teams broke new ground when they faced off in the curtain-raiser of UEFA's competition for club youth teams, which features sides representing all 32 UEFA Champions League participants.
In the early autumnal wind of the western Czech Republic, City warmed quickest to the task with Sinan Bytyqi earning himself the accolade as the competition's opening scorer; his sublime free-kick that arrowed into the top corner was worthy of the landmark, and drew appreciative applause from the healthy smattering of fans of both teams.
With coach and former French international Patrick Vieira looking on, City captain Marcos Lopes scored twice and Devante Cole slid in the fourth. Miloš Kratochvíl had raised the biggest cheer of the game by steering in a header for the hosts early in the second half. However, despite a brief Plzeň rally, City began on a note as bright as the warm sunshine that bathed the stadium come full time.