Anelka secures City passage
Anelka secured their passage into the second round of the UEFA Cup scoring from the spot after 19 minutes.
City, narrow 3-2 winners from the first leg, then gave a professional performance to sew the tie up. Manager Kevin Keegan made two changes to the side that lost to Wolves.
Steve McManaman had recovered from a hamstring injury and returned to the starting line-up at the Daknam Stadium. Trevor Sinclair was also restored to the side with Claudio Reyna and Antoine Sibierski having to settle for a place on the bench.
City, back in Europe for the first time in 25 seasons, brought 4,000 supporters with them.
City manager Keegan said: “We have done what we had to do here. It was not exciting, it was a workmanlike performance.
“We were fortunate to get a penalty. If it had been given at the other end, I would have been disappointed.
City took the lead after 19 minutes when Anelka scored from the spot to make it 4-2 on aggregate.
The penalty was awarded after Wanchope went and threw himself over after a challenge by Mamadou Coulibaly.
City, however, were looking far from comfortable at the back and De Beule skipped away but his shot was off target.
However, they looked formidable going forward and Tarnat picked out Wanchope with a good through ball. However he was robbed just as he prepared to shoot.
City emained in the driving seat going into the second half.
Midfielders McManaman and Paul Bosvelt had failed to make an impact but Keegan decided to keep things as they were.
While they held a two-goal advantage, Keegan would no doubt have been looking for his side to tighten their grip on the tie.
Wright-Phillips attempted to make amends when he strode forward in the 53rd minute and tested Van der Jeugt with a powerful drive.
City then began to sit on their two-goal lead.
However, Tarnat’s corner in the 65th minute caused a moment of panic in the Lokeren defence before it was scrambled away.
The home side continued to make a decent fist of it with Icelandic captain Arnar Vidarsson working tirelessly.
The City supporters were getting desperate for a second goal.
Keegan made his first change in the 78th minute bringing on Reyna for the tiring Wanchope.
Lokeren ran out of steam, leaving City to clinch a place in the second round draw on Friday.
Wright-Phillips almost added a second but Van der Jeugt did well to parry his effort.
LOKEREN: Van der Jeugt, Conte (Van Hoeylandt 77), Katana, Vidarsson, Gretarsson, Kristinsson, De Beule, Coulibali, Doba, Fofana, Muzinga (Baldvinsson 66).
MAN CITY: Seaman, Jihai, Sommeil, Distin, Tarnat, Wright-Phillips, McManaman, Bosvelt, Sinclair (Barton 89), Wanchope (Reyna 78), Anelka.
Referee: D Ledentu (France).
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