Manchester City ensured Feyenoord's long-awaited Champions League return swiftly turned sour with a dominant 4-0 Group F win at De Kuip.
The Dutch champion ended a 15-year absence from the group stages of Europe's premier competition but it was behind after 95 seconds when John Stones capitalised on poor set-piece defending.
England centre-back Stones helped himself to an unlikely brace after half-time, by which time goals from the more familiar sources of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus had ended the game as a contest before the half hour.
Ederson lined up in goal for City, sporting protective headwear following his painful clash with Sadio Mane in the 5-0 thrashing of Liverpool four days ago.
The pre-match flare smoke had barely cleared by the time Stones rose to meet David Silva's delivery from a short corner and his header squirmed through Tonny Vilhena's limp defensive efforts on line.
Feyenoord centre-back Eric Botteghin turned in far better work in his own goalmouth when he nodded Jesus's dipping header to safety, but City had a two-goal cushion in the 10th minute.
Aguero was involved at the start of a slick move that included David Silva and Bernardo Silva, who released Kyle Walker down the right and the Argentina striker was on hand to flash a finish across Brad Jones.
Feyenoord goalkeeper Jones then thwarted Aguero at his near post before Michiel Kramer fired into the side-netting on a rare attack from the hosts.
City made it 3-0 in the 25th minute when Jones parried Benjamin Mendy's drive from a half-cleared corner. Stones was granted a generous amount of room six yards from goal to power in his second from De Bruyne's 63rd-minute corner.
Shakhtar 2-1 Napoli
Taison and Facundo Ferreyra were on target as Shakhtar Donetsk beat Napoli 2-1 at Metalist Stadium to start its Champions League group stage campaign in style.
Napoli has been tipped by some as a dark horse in this season's competition, but was punished by the ruthless host in the sides' first competitive meeting on Wednesday.
Shakhtar was the deserving winner and its energy and the quality of Taison shone in an entertaining first half, with the Brazil international firing the opener at the end of a fine team move.
And the second then arrived shortly before the hour mark as Ferreyra benefited from Pepe Reina's generous goalkeeping.
Napoli - which had started with star man Dries Mertens on the bench - hit back through an Arkadiusz Milik penalty, but a leveller evaded Maurizio Sarri's men and they already look to be in trouble after one group game.
Comments
SHARE