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Unstoppable City thrash helpless Cardiff

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Sergio Aguero (Getty Images)
Sergio Aguero (Getty Images)

Cape Town - Manchester City looked virtually unstoppable on Saturday afternoon as they romped to a 5-0 Premier League win over Cardiff at Cardiff City Stadium.

City dominated the match throughout, only allowing their hosts to have two shots at goal all game. Sergio Aguero opened the scoring the in the 32nd minute before Bernardo Silva made it 2-0 just three minutes later.

Less than a minute before half time, Ilkay Gundogan put the result beyond doubt when he scored the visitors' third and Riyad Mahrez (67', 89') wrapped up the scoring with a second-half brace.

It was clear from early on that Cardiff were going to struggle. Ten minutes into the match they had only managed to get 24 percent of the possession.

The result could have been far worse if City had been more ruthless in front of goal with Gundogan in particular blowing a glorious opportunity around the half hour mark by somehow smashing a half-volley from less than 10 yards out well over the bar.

Fortunately for him, Aguero came to his rescue less than 120 seconds later. Gundogan actually started the move, lobbing the ball into the box for Silva to play it across for the Argentine to apply the finishing touch and make it 1-0 Man City.

The visitors kept up the pressure and Leroy Sane's 35th minute corner was a homing missile directed at Silva's head and he glanced a deft looping header over the Cardiff keeper to double his side's lead.

Mere moments before half time the result was already beyond doubt. Gundogan completed his retribution for his earlier miss, with a lovely one-two with Raheem Sterling before curling a beautiful shot into the top corner.

Cardiff were much better at the start of the first half and were actually able to test Ederson through a curling Danny Ward effort, but the Brazilian was equal to it.

That was about as close as the hosts got to getting anything from the game as from then on it was all Man City once again. Sane skewed an effort wide before Gundogan thrashed a free kick into the post.

Despite a bunch of misses, Mahrez added another in the 67th minute. A lovely passing move from the visitors ended with the Algerian tapping in one of the simplest goals of his career from very close range.

He then completed the scoring when he added his second of the game with seconds remaining on the clock. He reacted quickest to a rebounding ball in the box to blast into the bottom corner.

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Fixtures
Sat 30 Mar 24 14:30 PM (SAST)
Newcastle
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West Ham
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St. James' Park
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Chelsea
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Forest
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