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Peter Byrne
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Man City v Dynamo Kiev, Champions League

Man City took on Dynamo Kiev, as they sought to consolidate a 3-1 first-leg lead.

Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.

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Here are tonight’s teams…

We’re underway…

City have started this game strongly, pushing Kiev well back into their half.

Clichy gets in a decent position but overhits a cross.

Manchester City v Dynamo Kiev - UEFA Champions League - Round of Sixteen - Second Leg - Etihad Stadium Dynamo Kiev manager Serhiy Rebrov is a former Tottenham striker. Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Bad news for City early on.

Vincent Kompany pulls up while in possession and is forced to hobble off. Mangala replaces him.

There is a slight casualness and lack of intensity about City tonight that is perhaps inevitable in light of the commanding lead they established in the first leg.

There’s been a few misplaced passes and an ostensible sense of complacency that will give the visitors faint hope.

That Kompany injury aside, there’s been little to report on so far.

You get the sense that City could progress tonight without ever having to get out of second gear.

Otamendi has taken a knock and is now hobbling with what looks like a knee injuury.

Fortunately, City have a second centre-back — Demichelis — on the bench if needed.

Decent probing by City on the edge of their opponents’ area. Toure’s chipped pass finds the onrushing Zabaleta, whose header across goal is cleared.

Meanwhile, Otamendi has been booked for returning to the field prematurely following his injury break.

A dangerous cross from Antunes forces a quick reflex save from Hart.

The Kiev striker was adjudged offside anyway, but the England goalkeeper showed his alertness there.

More bad news for Man City, as Otamendi goes down again.

Demichelis replaces him, and the hosts have now lost both their starting centre-backs.

“I think some of these players are half-asleep. The referee might have to blow his whistle more to wake them up.”

BT Sport commentator Robbie Savage is not impressed with this game so far.

Manchester City v Dynamo Kiev - UEFA Champions League - Round of Sixteen - Second Leg - Etihad Stadium Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

Fresh from his departure from Bolton, Neil Lennon is working at the Etihad tonight as a TV pundit.

A mis-kick from Mangala almost allows Yarmolenko to play through Garmash, but the former’s pass is just too short.

Not the most assured of starts from the substitute centre-back.

Husyev’s chip through is flicked on by Garmash, but Joe Hart reads it well and punches the ball clear.

City need to be careful here, as Kiev have had a couple of half chances in recent minutes.

“This has been a joy to watch,” says Robbie Savage sarcastically.

As I type, Aguero drags a shot wide from just outside the box.

Clichy fires the ball across the box, but there are no City bodies in there to capitalise.

This has been one of the worst Champions League games, quality-wise, that I’ve seen in a long time.

Navas sprints forward at pace, but badly overhits the pass to Aguero.

Raheem Sterling will be on soon if he continues to make those kind of basic errors.

This game has been played at walking pace at times, as if Kiev have given up already.

As I type, Navas heads the ball straight out of play, summing up a poor first half.

Fernandinho almost rolls through Silva.

The pass is overhit though, and 41-year-old goalkeeper Shovkovsky collects it gratefully.

HALF-TIME: MAN CITY 0-0 DYNAMO KIEV

Half-time, and it hasn’t been an easy watch.

The game has the feel of a pre-season friendly at times, with both sides failing the summon enthusiasm befitting of a Champions League last-16 game.

City have barely gotten out of second gear, but they haven’t had to, as aside from one or two half-chances, the visitors have shown a conspicuous lack of conviction and self-belief throughout the opening 45 minutes.

Barring a miraculous second-half improvement, yet another injury to Vincent Kompany is likely to overshadow this dour game.

The second half has begun…

Decent passing move from City. Garmash intercepts the ball from Silva, before Shovkovsky blasts it clear.

Better from the hosts.

“That’s how bad this game is, we’re bringing in Howard Webb for a backpass.”

Robbie Savage’s meta analysis on BT Sport has been the only bit of amusement so far in this second half.

Navas kicks it straight out of play as the dreadful quality in this game continues.

How Dynamo Kiev got so far in this competition is a bit of a mystery.

Yaya Toure curls a free-kick well wide from about 30 yards out.

This almost feels like a light training session for City ahead of this weekend’s Manchester Derby.

As I type, Toure slips through Aguero, but his shot from a tight angle goes wide.

Finally some proper action!

Toure plays it to Navas, whose shot across goal comes back off the post.

Dinamo substtutions, as Garmash and Husyev make way for Iakovenko and Sydorchuk.

The visitors badly need something to inspire them following an awful opening 65 minutes from their perspective.

Navas crosses for Toure, but the Ivorian’s shot is straight at the goalkeeper.

Shortly thereafter, Toure bursts forward again and plays it to Aguero, but the Argentine striker is held up well and tackled by Khacheridi.

City have been increasingly dominant in this half.

However, Pellegrini’s side have lacked cutting edge in front of goal so far.

Decent ball in by Vida and Zabaleta is forced to clear for a corner.

The subsequent set piece hits the first man, enabling City to break, but Aguero’s pass to Silva is too heavy, and Shovkovsky collects the ball comfortably.

City, clearly thinking this tie is all but won, bring Silva off and replace him with Sterling.

Britain Soccer Champions League Kiev's goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy, left dives as he watches a shot from Manchester City's Jesus Navas, right, go past him. Jon Super Jon Super

Chance, as Yarmolenko is unmarked, but he heads a cross just wide.

He would have been offside anyway, but it’s a poor finish nonetheless.

Strong suspicion of a penalty late on, as Yarmolenko gets taken out by Fernando.

The ball breaks to Sydorchuk, whose shot is well blocked by Hart.

Sterling nutmegs Khacheridi, but the winger’s cross goes straight into Shovkovsky’s arms.

There’s been a distinct lack of quality in the final third from both sides tonight.

Another cross from Navas goes directly into the keeper’s arms.

Mercifully, just two of the four added minutes remain.

FULL-TIME: MAN CITY 0-0 DYNAMO KIEV – MAN CITY QUALIFY FOR THE QUARTER-FINALS

So that’s that. It wasn’t pretty, but City won’t care. They’re through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in their history.

In truth, they never got out of second gear, and were up against a team that were out of their depth, but they got the job done in the first leg, and shouldn’t be too tired for the Manchester Derby this weekend following a game that was often played at walking pace and seldom threatened to come to life.

Okay, that’s all from me.

Thanks for reading and commenting, and we’ll have more reaction to follow.

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