Supersport United 2-0 Manchester City: Pellegrini suffers defeat in first game in charge
The Premier League runners-up, who made 11 changes at half-time, were well beaten in South Africa as goals from Mame Niang and Kermit Erasmus secured victory for the hosts
By Stephen Darwin
Manuel Pellegrini got off to the worst possible start in his first game in charge of Manchester City as his side were beaten 2-0 by Supersport United in Sunday's pre-season friendly.
Mame Niang and Kermit Erasmus were the heroes for Supersport, as two second-half goals past Costel Pantilimon were enough to see off the Premier League heavyweights.
The friendly encounter at the Loftus Versfeld stadium saw Fernandinho make his City bow, while the likes of skipper Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri, Gareth Barry and Edin Dzeko all also started in Pretoria.
And the visitors started brightly, as Dzeko forced Ronwen Williams into a decent save just two minutes in after the Bosnia and Herzegovina international capitalised on a poor clearance from the Supersport United goalkeeper.
Joe Hart was then called into action as the England No.1 charged out to thwart Ramahlwe Mphahlele when the midfielder attempted to poke an effort goalwards.
Without looking particularly threatening going forward, City again came close to opening the scoring after 16 minutes as Alexsandar Kolarov, starting at left-back, broke and linked up well with Dzeko before stabbing a shot wide of Williams's left-hand post as he stumbled to the ground under challenge.
Dzeko then squandered another opportunity as he again failed to beat Williams before Supersport broke down the other end, with Sameehg Doutie rampaging down the right and pulling the ball across to force Micah Richards to head clear from in front of the goalline.
Pellegrini rang the changes at half-time, introducing an entirely different XI for the second half as the likes of Yaya Toure, Joleon Lescott, Scott Sinclair and James Milner all came on to get their first taste of pre-season action.
But it was Supersport who took the lead early in the second period as Niang climbed above Matija Nastasic to meet a delicious cross from the left and head past Hart's half-time replacement, Pantilimon.
Young midfielder Emyr Huws perhaps should have done better after 67 minutes as he dragged an effort wide before Supersport defender Danleigh Borman was in the right place at the right time to scramble Milner's shot off the line, despite a hint of handball.
Toure then got his first sight of goal but could only blaze over the top with a shot from distance as City struggled to trouble replacement goalkeeper Boalefa Pule in the Supersport goal.
Pellegrini's first game in charge went from bad to worse with just nine minutes remaining as Erasmus raced through past a static Dedryck Boyata and slotted home to make it 2-0 to the hosts.
