Manchester City 3-1 Sevilla: Rico Lewis, Julian Alvarez & Riyad Mahrez cancel out Rafa Mir opener

Manchester City 3-1 Sevilla: Rico Lewis, Julian Alvarez & Riyad Mahrez cancel out Rafa Mir opener
_127491778_lewisbody_.jpgRico Lewis, aged 17 years and 346 days, has become the youngest player in Champions League history to score on his first start in the competition, breaking the record held by Karim Benzema (17 years 352 days for Lyon v Rosenborg)

Seventeen-year-old Rico Lewis scored on his full Manchester City debut as the Blues came from behind to beat Sevilla in their final Champions League group game.

City were trailing to a first-half header from former Wolves and Nottingham Forest striker Rafa Mir when Lewis strode on to Julian Alvarez's pass seven minutes after the break and drove a powerful shot past Yassine Bounou.

It was a moment Lewis will remember for the rest of his life and the joy on his face as he celebrated was something to behold.

But if the young full-back needed a reminder of the sustained quality required to make it at City, he got it through a superb curling pass from substitute Kevin de Bruyne for the Blues' second, which went around the back of the Sevilla defence and sent Alvarez running clear.

Riyad Mahrez wrapped up the scoring seven minutes from time.

City are now unbeaten in 23 Champions League games at the Etihad Stadium and, with prolific front-man Erling Haaland watching from the stands and Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips to return from injury, no-one will relish facing them when the competition resumes in February.

Night to remember for teenager Lewis

Pep Guardiola has been rotating the same group of experienced players plus a handful of youngsters all season and, despite the packed schedule and his side's status as group winners already assured, the City boss did not change that philosophy.

There was the first start for Lewis though.

Born in nearby Bury, Lewis has been with City since he was eight, so this would have been a proud night for his family even without the added ingredient of a goal.

Guardiola simply doesn't just hand first-team spots away, so Lewis would have known he'd earned it. And when his manager was yelling at him early in the game to get wider and make himself available for a pass, it was clear Guardiola would not be going easy on him either.

But Lewis was happy to adopt the Joao Cancelo tactic of moving into midfield from his full-back berth when City pushed forward - and the long-range shot he screwed wide before the opening period drew to a close suggested no lack of confidence.

His exchange of expressions when Phil Foden caught up with him after his goal was wonderful. Lewis' first City goal had come at a younger age than Foden's - he had to wait until he was 18.

Lewis was only 13 when City last lost a European home game which is a startling statistic. The sustained ovation he received as he walked around the pitch to the bench after being told to leave it near the halfway line on the far side when he was replaced by Cancelo five minutes from time was the stuff dreams are made of.

More to follow.

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Sevilla

Squad number13Player nameBono

Squad number2Player nameMontiel

Squad number30Player nameCarmona

Squad number23Player nameMarcão

Squad number4Player nameRekik

Squad number19Player nameAcuña

Squad number12Player nameRafa Mir

Squad number18Player nameDelaney

Squad number10Player nameRakitic

Squad number22Player nameIsco

Squad number24Player namePapu Gómez

Squad number3Player nameAlex Telles

Squad number6Player nameGudelj

Squad number7Player nameSuso

Squad number8Player nameJordán

Squad number17Player nameLamela

Line-ups

Man City

Formation 4-3-3

18Ortega

82Lewis3Rúben Dias14Laporte21Gómez

80Palmer8Gündogan47Foden

26Mahrez19Álvarez10Grealish

18Ortega82LewisSubstituted forCanceloat 85'minutes3Rúben Dias14Laporte21GómezSubstituted forWilson-Esbrandat 70'minutes80PalmerSubstituted forDe Bruyneat 70'minutes8GündoganSubstituted forBernardo Silvaat 57'minutes47Foden26Mahrez19Álvarez10GrealishSubstituted forRodriat 45'minutes

Substitutes

5Stones6Aké7Cancelo16Rodri17De Bruyne20Bernardo Silva31Ederson33Carson97Wilson-Esbrand

Sevilla

Formation 5-4-1

13Bono

2Montiel30Carmona23do Nascimento Teixeira4Rekik19Acuña

12Mir18Delaney10Rakitic22Isco

24Gómez

13Bono2Montiel30Carmona23do Nascimento TeixeiraSubstituted forGudeljat 45+1'minutes4Rekik19AcuñaSubstituted forTellesat 45'minutes12Mir18Delaney10RakiticSubstituted forJordánat 67'minutes22IscoSubstituted forLamelaat 57'minutes24GómezSubstituted forFernández Sáenz de la Torreat 45'minutes

Substitutes

1Dmitrovic3Telles5Dolberg6Gudelj7Fernández Sáenz de la Torre8Jordán11Januzaj16Navas17Lamela27Álvarez29Salas Valiente31Flores

Live Text

Match ends, Manchester City 3, Sevilla 1.

Second Half ends, Manchester City 3, Sevilla 1.

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Nemanja Gudelj.

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Yassine Bounou.

Attempt saved. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Julián Álvarez.

Attempt missed. Thomas Delaney (Sevilla) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left.

Attempt saved. Rúben Dias (Manchester City) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Bernardo Silva with a cross.

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Alex Telles.

Josh Wilson-Esbrand (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla).

Substitution, Manchester City. João Cancelo replaces Rico Lewis because of an injury.

Goal! Manchester City 3, Sevilla 1. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Julián Álvarez.

Foul by Bernardo Silva (Manchester City).

Joan Jordán (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt missed. Rúben Dias (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross following a set piece situation.

Rico Lewis (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Alex Telles (Sevilla).

Attempt missed. Rafa Mir (Sevilla) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Alex Telles with a cross.

Goal! Manchester City 2, Sevilla 1. Julián Álvarez (Manchester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a through ball.

Attempt missed. Phil Foden (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross.

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