Manchester City down Villarreal 3-0

 　　MADRID, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Manchester City took an important step towards qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League with a 3-0 win away to Villarreal on Wednesday night.

　　The big spending Premier¹ League side was always in control against a team that is suffering a host of injuries and which with this defeat has lost all of its Champions League group games.

　　Villarreal went into the game with seven players out through injury, including first choice strikers Nilmar, Giuseppe Rossi and Marco Ruben and midfielders Cani and Marcos Senna. As a result coach Juan Carlos Garrido drafted B-team striker Joselu into his side.

　　Manchester City meanwhile left Kun Aguero on the subs' bench. the former Atletico Madrid player had been accused of mocking the Villarreal players after scoring a last minute winner against the Spanish side two weeks ago and City coach Roberto Mancini clearly wanted to avoid further controversy².

　　There was little doubt over who were the strongest side, however, as Manchester City looked to control the game from the start against a Villarreal team that had a very unfamiliar³ look about it.

　　Although they were working as hard as possible, the Spaniards lacked fluidity in midfield, while City looked solid in defense⁴ and swift on the break.

　　The first goal arrived after half an hour when former Barcelona midfielder Toure Yaya scored with a powerful low shot from inside the penalty area following a pass from David Silva.

　　Silva was proving hard to stop and he almost set up Mario Balotelli shortly afterwards with a pass from the right. Meanwhile Joe Hart had to save from Jonathan de Guzman.

　　Balotelli doubled the lead of the English side just before halftime. He was pushed in the penalty area and picked himself up to score from the spot to sent the 2,000 travelling English fans into celebrations.

　　Toure scored his side's third and his second of the night with 19 minutes remaining in the game. The big midfielder accepted a pass from Balotelli as he ghosted through the Villarreal defense.

　　City then began to move the ball with ease against a side that was well and truly beaten and the only good news for Villarreal on the night was the return of full back Angel Lopez who came on as a late substitute after missing almost a year with a serious knee injury.

1 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

2 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

3 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。