MAN CITY 2, BAYERN MUNICH 0.
Manchester City had the misfortune of bowing out of the Champions League despite accumulating 10 points which is usually the benchmark for qualification.
Goals from David Silva and Yaya Toure ensured City beat a weakened Bayern Munich at the Etihad Stadium as they did what they had to do.
However, City were aware beforehand their fate did not lie in their own hands and the victory proved inconsequential after Napoli won at Spanish side Villarreal to claim runners-up spot in group A.
City manager Roberto Mancini was left to reflect on what might have been as he thought his side was desperately unlucky to be knocked out of the Champions League.
He said: “We are disappointed as we wanted to go through. Usually with 10 points all teams go through in 99-per-cent of cases.
“We knew before we started we were in a very strong and very difficult group and we made some mistakes, but these things can happen.
“We went out of the Champions League, but we are a fantastic team. We need to improve our squad for next season.”
It was win or bust for City who fielded their strongest side with Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko their front pairing.
Bayern, already assured of top spot in group A, fielded very much a second string with big hitters Manuel Neuer, Daniel Van Buyten, Franck Ribery, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller and Mario Gomez in reserve on the bench while Arjen Robben and Bastian Schweinsteiger didn’t feature.
City experienced a frustrating opening as Bayern slowed the pace of the game maintaining possession as the hosts were left to chase their opponents.
Mancini’s men had the ball in the net from a Silva free kick, but the effort was ruled out as Joleon Lescott was adjudged to have barged keeper Jorg Butt into the back of the net.
The breakthrough came in the 37th minute with a well-executed move from a throw in as Dzeko laid the ball into the path of Silva who found the net from the edge of the box with a terrific shot low to the right of Butt.
The goal lifted City who might have finished the opening period with a healthier advantage as Aguero beat Butt only to see their former player Jerome Boateng save the day with a goalline clearance.
Silva and Aguero also had decent openings as City finished the half in the ascendancy.
It got even better for City seven minutes after the restart when they scored a second goal.
Dzeko’s slide-rule pass split the Bayern defence as Yaya Toure raced through to slot a low shot past Butt.
The euphoria was soon replaced by a funereal silence as word came through that Napoli had taken the lead in Spain, a scoreline which would bring about City’s exit from the Champions League.
City had chances to extend their lead as Gareth Barry, Dzeko and Aguero forced Butt into saves while Samir Nasri crashed a shot just wide.