Manchester City's Late Win Smells Like Team Spirit

Roberto Mancini learnt a lot about his Manchester City team tonight as it beat Villarreal 2-1 at Etihad Stadium.

Following the 1-1 draw in their opening Group A fixture against Napoli and the 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich—during which Carlos Tevez infamously refused to come off the bench—the third match of City's first ever foray into the Champions League was already a must win.

While the victory was most welcome for Mancini, who had struggled to replicate his team's domineering domestic form on the continent, it was the manner of it that will bring a certain satisfaction.

Had City simply steamrolled over an average Villarreal team as they have done with so many sides in the Premier League already this season, then it would have been business as usual, the fixture merely a way to pass the time before Sunday's huge derby trip to Old Trafford.

No lessons would have been learnt.

As it was, Sergio Aguero's injury-time winner made the victory all the more sweet, and betrayed a unity and spirit in this expensively-assembled side that rarely been required or displayed before this game.

Last season, as Mancini's conservative approach saw City grind their way to an automatic Champions League spot, standard practice was to score early and then shut up shop against most opposition, grabbing more goals on the break when given the opportunity.

Against the top sides, any kind of attacking ambition was abandoned in favour of pure spoiling tactics.

Ultimately it worked, but it was not exactly conducive to the sort of heart-bounding thrills which help foster team spirit or a belief that a group of players can take on all comers.

With the summer additions of Aguero, Samir Nasri, the blossoming of Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli and the inexorable rise of David Silva, City used its extra attacking potency to simply set about putting the opposition to the sword this season. 

So when the team is unable to take that swashbuckling approach against Villarreal, even after going behind after just three minutes, Mancini must have feared it would be another one of those frustrating European nights.

But, after getting a slice of fortune with Carlos Marchena's own goal on the stroke of halftime, City did not panic. Instead they continued to play its game, confident that it had enough quality to eventually break down the visitors. 

So it proved with barely five seconds left on the clock when James Milner's canny reverse pass allowed Pablo Zabaleta to fire in a low cross that was turned in by his fellow Argentinian, Aguero.

City may have paid £38 million for the striker nicknamed "Kun" in order to see his dazzling skills on a weekly basis, but that instinctive finish from two yards may yet prove to be one of the most fondly remembered goals of his City career.  

The fact City managed to scrap to victory after playing so poorly and going behind so early on, is a trick often repeated by champions, particularly by neighbour Manchester United.  

It may not have done much for Mancini's heart rate, and in the cold light of day, it shows there is still a steep learning curve for this group of players to work their way up in Europe, but it is victories like this that best foster a winning mentality, a belief that they are good enough to overcome the odds.

It does not matter how successful any of City's eight-figure recruits were at their former clubs. Now that they have been flung together in Manchester, they are charged with the task of creating their own history, laying the foundations for a new footballing dynasty.

It is the dramatic wins secured against adversity and not the routine results that will be most effective in achieving that lofty aim.  

In the buildup to the match, when asked about the importance of putting in a European performance that was as fluid and exhilarating as those the team has done in the Premier League so far this season, Mancini replied, "For us I don't think it is as important to play well or not well—it is important we win this game. I think if we win this game I think we can also win the group."

He got what he asked for, an important win without playing well, and now his players share his belief that they can go and do great things this season.