Sergio Aguero scored his eighth Manchester City hat-trick

Sergio Aguero scored his eighth Manchester City hat-trick
Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Steaua Bucharest in the first leg of their Champions League qualifying play-off.

Aguero also missed two penalties - the first saved and second powered over - either side of David Silva's opener.

Striker Aguero stroked in his first goal to make it 2-0 and added two more after Nolito scored City's third.

The second leg is in Manchester on Wednesday, 24 August, with the winners reaching the group stage.

Relive the action from Bucharest
A tale of two Agueros

In the end, it was a satisfying night for Argentine front man Aguero after two missed spot-kicks in the first half. All three goals he scored were different from each other:
First: A beautifully rolled shot into the bottom corner from outside the area


Second: Excellent inter-play with Nolito before firing across the goalkeeper and into the net
Third: Back to goal, turns and runs at the defence and slams home
Penalty one: Seeing Florin Nita dancing on his line, Aguero decided to go low to the goalkeeper's right, but he guessed the right way



Penalty two: Power over finesse. Aguero thought putting his foot through the ball for the second spot-kick was a better idea, but watched it sail high over the crossbar
City slickers dominate

City were in total control of the match and outclassed their Romanian opponents.

Summer signing Nolito twice struck the woodwork, as well as netting his first City goal by rounding the goalkeeper following Kevin de Bruyne's inch-perfect pass.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart was dropped once again, with boss Pep Guardiola preferring to start with Willy Caballero. But, despite having to rush off his line in the early stages to clear the ball, the Argentine was a spectator for the remainder of the game.

The plane carrying City staff to Romania was evacuated after smoke was seen in the cabin, but there was no scare for the players on the pitch and it will need a calamitous collapse in the second leg to stop them from advancing.
Sterling back on the rise

Question marks were raised over Raheem Sterling's performances at City in his first season after becoming the most expensive English player ever following a £49m transfer from Liverpool.

The winger also bore the brunt of England's criticism at Euro 2016 and a petition was even set up to bring the player back home from France.

But the 21-year-old has started this season full of confidence, earning a penalty in the opening 10 minutes in Bucharest, just as he did against Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday.

Aguero failed to convert this time, but Sterling's pressing panicked Steaua Bucharest defender Alin Tosca into making a mistake, before keeping his cool to lay the ball into the path of David Silva for the opener and then cushioning the ball for Aguero's first.
Man of the match - Sergio Aguero
Not often a player who misses two penalties gets the man of the match award
What next?

City travel to Stoke on Saturday (kick-off 12:30 BST) in the Premier League before next week's second leg against Steaua Bucharest.

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text


Home TeamSteaua BucAway TeamMan City Possession

Home30%

Away70% Shots

Home8

Away24 Shots on Target

Home2

Away12 Corners

Home3

Away4 Fouls

Home13

Away14