Manchester City vs Sunderland. Premier League.
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Sunday 14 August 2016 19:43, UK
Paddy McNair's own goal three minutes from time handed Pep Guardiola's Manchester City a 2-1 win over Sunderland in his first game as head coach.
McNair, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes on his Sunderland debut having signed from Manchester United, nodded into the corner of his own net after Jesus Navas' cross.
Earlier, Guardiola's Premier League debut got off to the perfect start after four minutes as Sergio Aguero converted from the spot after Patrick van Aanholt had brought down Raheem Sterling.
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City had most of the ball in both halves, but Sunderland equalised with 19 minutes remaining through Jermain Defoe's tidy low finish inside the area, before the late own goal broke Sunderland's hearts.
Guardiola's City now face a tricky Champions League play-off round first leg at Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday, while David Moyes' Sunderland host north-east rivals Middlesbrough next Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
Guardiola's first selection decision was a controversial one, leaving England No 1 Joe Hart on the bench, and his replacement Willy Caballero was called into action early, beating away Van Aanholt's 25-yard free-kick.
John Stones made his City debut alongside England team-mate Sterling, and it was the latter's fine work that helped City take the lead.
Collecting the ball on the gallop, Sterling turned swiftly inside the area, forcing Van Aanholt to clip his leg. Aguero, City's top scorer last season, made no mistake from the spot, powering the penalty past Vito Mannone.
Spaniard Nolito, another debutant, went close later in the half, curling just wide from the left having cut inside, but despite City's dominance in possession, Sunderland had the best chance of the remainder of the half.
Having got on the end of Lamine Kone's header into the box, Defoe's poke goalwards was saved well by Caballero at point-blank range.
Aguero should have doubled his and City's tally on the hour mark, pulling an effort wide from 10 yards after the ball dropped kindly to him, and the hosts were made to pay 10 minutes later.
As Stones raced out to close Jack Rodwell down, the midfielder fed Defoe in a central position, leaving him to coolly slot the ball under Caballero.
The goal makes Defoe the eighth player to score in 16 or more Premier League seasons, and puts him joint-10th in the all-time Premier League scoring charts with 144 goals.
Sunderland briefly pushed for a second, but it was City who grabbed the late winner. After Navas had got down the right and fed the ball into the six-yard box, the ball flicked off Mannone's hand and onto the head of his team-mate McNair, who could not prevent the ball bouncing off his head and into the back of the net.
Kelechi Iheanacho came close to making the game safe with a minute remaining, seeing his effort from 12 yards deflect off Mannone and over.
Despite late Sunderland pressure, City held on for the three points, something last season's title rivals Leicester and Tottenham failed to achieve on the opening day of the Premier League.
Player ratings
Man City: Caballero (6), Sagna (6), Stones (6), Kolarov (6), Clichy (6), Fernandinho (6), Silva (7), Nolito (7), De Bruyne (6), Sterling (8), Aguero (6).
Subs: Navas (7), Delph (6), Iheanacho (6).
Sunderland: Mannone (6), Love (6), van Aanholt (5), Kaboul (6), Kone (6), O'Shea (6), Rodwell (6), Gooch (7), Watmore (6), Borini (6), Defoe (7).
Subs: McNair (5), Khazri (6), Januzaj (6).
