Super-sub Mario strikes to give City the edge
The former Inter Milan striker stepped off the bench to stun Timisoara and hand his side the advantage going into the return game next Thursday at Eastlands.
Balotelli, 20, proved to be a handful and has already repaid the first part of his reported £24 million (€29m) transfer fee.
After a slow start on a humid night, England’s biggest spenders were good value for the victory thanks to a positive second-half performance.
Urged on by a large partisan crowd, Timisoara opened with confidence and sprayed the ball about well.
The home fans screamed for a penalty after 14 minutes when Alexandru Curtean went to ground following a challenge from Pablo Zabaleta. German referee Florian Mayer ignored their pleas and had no hesitation in waving play on.
City won a free-kick 25 yards out in the 30th minute after David Silva was tripped by Alexandru Bourceanu.
Carlos Tevez stepped up and tried to float his effort beyond Costel Pantilimon but the goalkeeper saved at the post.
City were on the front foot at the start of the second half and Emmanuel Adebayor found Zabaleta on the edge of the area. He tried his luck on goal only for his effort to finish nearer the corner flag.
Back came Timisoara and Dan Alexa slipped a glorious through ball to Mircea Axente in the 51st minute. The striker whipped in a shot but Joe Hart got down quickly to make a comfortable save.
Roberto Mancini decided to switch things around and handed Balotelli his debut in the 57th minute when the 20-year-old replaced Gareth Barry.
The Italian’s arrival improved City’s attacking options as they went in search of an important away goal.
Silva had put in a hard shift and was taken off in the 66th minute with Adam Johnson coming on.
City were beginning to put the pressure on and Balotelli found the side netting a minute later after a misplaced overhead kick by Tevez.
Then Yaya Toure’s thunderbolt came back off the post following a corner from Balotelli as Timisoara began to buckle.
City made the breakthrough with Balotelli showing a cool head to sweep the ball home from close range after being set up by Adebayor. It was just the boost City wanted with the second leg to come at Eastlands and they are now favourites to progress to the group stages.
Pantilimon, Luchin, Scutaru (Zicu 71), Cisovsky, Sepsi, Contra (Mera 80), Alexa, Bourceanu, Curtean, Magera (Goga 83), Axente.
Hart, Lescott, Kompany, Toure, Zabaleta, Barry (Balotelli 57), Toure Yaya, Silva (Adam Johnson 66), De Jong, Tevez (Jo 77), Adebayor.
Ref: Florian Meyer (Germany).
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