Benjani clinches 3-2 win for Man City over Twente

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Benjani centre celebrates scoring

Benjani scores for reserves against Liverpool in comeback match

Opinion Zone

07 November 2008

MANCHESTER, England: Benjani Mwaruwari returned from a four-month injury layoff Thursday to score the goal that ensured Manchester City began its UEFA Cup group stage campaign with a 3-2 victory over FC Twente.

Within three minutes of coming off the bench in the 59th minute, the Zimbabwe striker, who tore his thigh muscle in July, scored a lucky deflected goal past the Dutch visitors.

City's third proved decisive because its vulnerable defense was breached for a second time in the 65th when unmarked Twente captain Robbie Weilart headed in Youssouf Hersi's corner.

"We are always going to be attack minded and at the back we will be exposed," City manager Mark Hughes said. "At 3-1 we were quite comfortable, but we switched off on a set play and gave them a lifeline. We have to see out games more."

Stein Huysegems should have snatched a valuable point for Steve McClaren's Twente side, but blazed over in stoppage time with plenty of time and space for a more accurate finish.

It denied McClaren, who had an ill-fated 18-month spell in charge of England, a chance to show the English public that he had been rejuvenated by returning to management on the continent.

"We were occasionally too naive in giving them their opportunities and we missed great opportunities," McClaren said. "Belief is something we are building. We are not there yet, but we when we had the belief to play we ran right through them."

McClaren, who guided Middlesbrough to the UEFA Cup final in 2006, was looking forlorn inside two minutes when his former England midfielder, Shaun Wright-Phillips put City ahead after a neat one-two with Jo.

The early breakthrough had City fans anticipating their side would run rampant and heap renewed embarrassment on McClaren.

"You let your country down," they chanted.

But the taunts were silenced in the 17th when City's back-four failed to suppress a counterattack.

Pablo Zabaleta was beaten in the air by Eljero Elia, and the 21-year-old Dutch striker charged forward, meeting with little resistance before curling inside Joe Hart's post.

Twente's confidence grew and McClaren became more animated and wildly gesticulating on the touchline when attacks fizzled out and possession was lost cheaply.

But Brazil forward Robinho, who City manager Mark Hughes came close to resting, restored City's lead by cutting inside from the left and unleashing a spectacular curling strike that Sander Boschker watched helplessly float into the top right corner.

City then looked set to cruise to victory when Benjani received the ball from Vassell also returning from injury and finished a 30 yard run with a weak effort that wouldn't have troubled Boschker, but which was deflected past the Dutch goalkeeper.

For all City's attacking vigor, its flimsy defense allowed Twente to pull one back inside three minutes in front of a sparse home crowd.

Twice Robinho could have restored City's two-goal cushion, but the British record signing was denied both times by the post.-AP

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