Dynamo Kiev vs. Manchester City: Score and Reaction from 2016 Champions League

Manchester City battled to a 3-1 win over Dynamo Kiev during Wednesday's 2015-16 UEFA Champions League action, putting themselves in an excellent position heading into the return leg of their round-of-16 clash.

Sergio Aguero gave the visitors an early lead, and David Silva doubled their advantage just before half-time. Dynamo looked much improved after the break, however, and they deservedly pulled a goal back through Vitaliy Buialskyi.

A late push from Dynamo amounted to nothing, and Yaya Toure added a third goal in the 90th minute to hand City a huge advantage ahead of the return leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 15. With a two-goal lead and three away goals under their belt, the Citizens are almost assured of a spot in the next round.

As shared by City's official Twitter account, the visitors' starting XI featured few surprises, with Aguero starting up top, Nicolas Otamendi and Vincent Kompany forming the central-defensive duo and Bacary Sagna sliding into the right-back slot:

The inclusion of Sagna was a bit of a shock, but only because manager Manuel Pellegrini made it seem he wouldn't be fit to feature in the match, per Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News:

Dynamo are one of the least heralded teams left in the competition, but the hosts entered the contest in far better form than the Citizens, and it showed during the opening minutes.

Led by the prolific Andriy Yarmolenko, the Ukrainians looked composed in possession and more dangerous than their Premier League opponents, with the winger himself putting Joe Hart to work for the first time.

Toure fired City's first shot on target after six minutes, but his attempt was a weak one and easily saved by Dynamo goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy. The Citizens failed to create much early, something Silva's passing numbers clearly showed, per Squawka:

But 15 minutes into the match, the visitors grabbed an undeserved lead and a vital away goal. Aguero smashed home from close range after a looping corner was headed into his path by Toure.

The Argentina international calmly brought the ball down before converting the chance, putting City ahead. Per ESPN FC's Miguel Delaney, Aguero is the one player not deserving of the inconsistent campaign the Citizens are having:

City started to create more opportunities following the goal, and Dynamo's hot start seemed like a distant memory when manager Serhiy Rebrov took off Denys Garmash for Miguel Veloso in the 31st minute as a purely tactical substitution.

Aguero put a shot just wide of the post shortly thereafter. On the other side of the pitch, Yarmolenko continued to provide most of the danger for Dynamo.

As the first half wore on, City dropped back deeper into their own half and started eyeing the counter-attack, while Dynamo regained their composure in possession and gave away few chances.

Kompany and Otamendi easily turned away just about every ball the Ukrainians fired into the box, and Hart also ruled his airspace with authority. Sagna nearly delivered the perfect ball for Silva to make it 2-0 five minutes before half-time, and the Spaniard got on the scoresheet just minutes later, all but firing City into the next round after just one half of football.

Aguero and Raheem Sterling beautifully created space, and the latter found Silva, who easily converted. Brennan was impressed:

Aguero nearly added a third goal minutes later, missing the target by inches before the official, Antonio Mateu Lahoz, ended Dynamo's nightmarish first half.

The hosts pushed for a positive start to the second half, and a free-kick from a dangerous position was only just punched out of the penalty area by Hart. Substitute Junior Moraes then nearly tested the City stopper, and Yarmolenko's follow-up effort just missed the target.

DW Sports thought the Dynamo duo made a strong impression:

Sterling wanted a penalty after Aleksandar Dragovic made contact with him in the penalty area, but the official didn't give in to the England international's claim. Replays showed the forward kicked the defender, not the other way around.

Minutes later, Dragovic threw himself into Sterling's feet, but this time, the former Liverpool man hurdled the challenge. Had he not, he could have earned a spot-kick.

Dynamo remained the better side, however, and they deservedly pulled a goal back through Buialskyi, whose shot took a cruel deflection and left Hart without a chance. Per WhoScored.com, City's defence remains an issue whenever the team ventures into Europe:

The visitors had yet another penalty shot turned down, with Silva hitting the soil this time around. Despite Dynamo's goal, City seemed happy to sit back and let the hosts come to them, sucking all of the intensity out of the match in the process.

The hosts were desperate to find an equaliser, and with 10 minutes left to play, Hart was called into action, denying Buialskyi a second goal. Per Copa90, it was some stop:

Toure should have put the match to bed with eight minutes left to play, but the Ivorian somehow powered a header well wide from close range.

Dynamo's late pressure led to nothing, and Toure redeemed himself for his earlier miss, all but wrapping up the tie with a last-minute beauty. Taking control of the ball on the edge of the box, he curled it past Shovkovskiy with his left foot to put the final score on the board.

City's next challenge will come on Sunday, when they face Liverpool at Wembley in the League Cup final. Dynamo will play FC Oleksandria in the Ukrainian Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Post-Match Reaction

Speaking to the BBC (h/t Nicholas Mendola of NBC Sports), Pellegrini warned the fans this tie is not over yet:

"

It is not finished but playing away and having a two-goal lead is very good. The team played well and had lots of chances. Maybe when it was 2-1 we had moments of doubt, but then we got the third goal.

Is the tie settled? No, it is important in football to never think it is finished. But to have that third goal gives us more confidence for the second leg.

"

Per Squawka News, he also stated the team's focus now shifts to the League Cup final, as he believes it's "very important to win a trophy."

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