Bellamy's brace fires City through

MANCHESTER CITY 2 FC COPENHAGEN 1:City win 4-3 on aggregate

WALES STRIKER Craig Bellamy is fast developing cult status at Manchester City. Bellamy broke FC Copenhagen’s resistance to secure a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup and a meeting with another Danish side in Aalborg.

He scored twice in the space of seven second-half minutes to put this tie firmly to bed and leave City dreaming of further glory on the European stage. It took his tally to five goals in seven games since his move from West Ham last month for a reported €15.5 million. Given the shift he put in, it was no more than he deserved.

Copenhagen were always vulnerable to pace and were stretched in the seventh minute when Stephen Ireland threaded the ball through to Bellamy. But he was adjudged to have strayed offside.

The Wales striker came within inches of putting City ahead in stoppage-time, his effort coming back off the post.

However, Bellamy got his reward in the 73rd minute by making the breakthrough and putting City 3-2 ahead on aggregate.

Robinho was then guilty of a glaring miss in front of the posts before Bellamy added a second in the 80th minute after being set up by the Brazilian. Substitute Martin Vingaard scored a consolation goal in stoppage-time but it was too little too late for the visitors.

MANCHESTER CITY:Given, Zabaleta (Elano 82), Onuoha, Dunne, Richards, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Kompany, Bridge, Robinho, Bellamy. Subs not used: Hart, Garrido, Berti, Vassell, Caicedo, Evans.

FC COPENHAGEN:Christiansen, Pospech, Antonsson, Jorgensen, Wendt, Kvist, Kristensen (Sionko 46), Norregaard (Vingaard 79), Hutchinson, Almeida, Ndoye (Gronkjaer 59). Subs not used: Coe, Niclas Jensen, Laursen, Nordstrand. Booked: Kristensen 36, Wendt 63.

Referee:Selcuk Dereli (Turkey)